


Mistress of Secrets | The Marauder's Era

by AChesireSmile



Series: The Story of the Blackthornes [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Eden Blackthorne makes me feel too much, F/M, Fanfiction, Multi, Other, Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw is my House if you can't notice, Time Travel, Werewolves, Witches, Wizards, blood curses are a thing I swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-13 02:12:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 44
Words: 70,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17479271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AChesireSmile/pseuds/AChesireSmile
Summary: She is the one veiled in shadows, she who smiles like the devil and weaves the spiderwebs, she who learns the secrets of others and keeps them. She is a Blackthorne.And he is a Black.





	1. Lily

1 September 1971

Lily Evans tripped when she had finally arrived at the end of the Hogwarts train line. Of all things that could have been done first at Hogwarts, the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she _trips_.

‘Very graceful, Lily,’ she had commented to herself with extreme embarrassment and sarcasm. Though while her only friend, Severus, was close enough to her and a group of four boys have been watching her carefully— the young redhead was helped up by another, with a gentle hand.

The young witch looked up as the hand had helped raise her up onto her feet.

The hand was of another witch with what Lily could only describe as intense amber eyes framed by silky, straight black hair. What was more noticeable than the doll-like traits was the curved scar that marred the girl’s snow-like skin, it was a one-sided contour to her high cheekbone. Followed by her lookalike, no, that was not quite right in Lily's mind. She had a twin! With eyes of gold and the wilder version of her sister’s hair, the two stuck out like sore thumbs amongst the rest of the first years and returning students. The other witch's golden eyes reminded Lily of a wolf staring down at its prey of the next hunt, she stands slightly behind her sister and it is her tentative smile that tells Lily that she would have helped her up too. Her sister just happened to have been faster.

Lily glances back to the first sister, realizing with an astonished jolt that she had been watching Lily. Her amber eyes seemed to entrance the young Lily Evans, pulling her in with nothing more than an amused but kind light in those eyes of hers. Lily's bright jade green eyes widen as she realized that she had been staring too long. And she finds herself missing the way that she held Lily's hand as she lets go.

“Do be careful,” the amber-eyed witch smiled at Lily. It was a slight and pretty smile that curved upon her petal lips.

Lily nodded, and before she could even thank the one who helped her up; the two sisters were already moving to leave. They went to follow after the groundskeeper as he made the announcement for first years to follow him to the lake and boats.

“Ah, wait!” Lily blushed at her own outburst, very much unaware of her friend’s close presence.

The girl turned back on her heels and blinked patiently, Lily flustering even more. But the blushing witch found her courage,” Thank you. For helping me.”

The presumably elder twin, the one with amber eyes, tilted her head and smiled slowly, nodding. “You’re welcome.”

The sisters departed once more, side by side, while Lily was left mystified by her friend’s side. Maybe hoping, she could become the sisters’ friends too.

Maybe tripping had been fate, maybe Lily had been meant to trip as the first thing to have done while getting off the train. And it had been fate too when Lily met the four Gryffindor boys officially, after being separated from her only friend who was sorted into Slytherin.

She had even learned the two sister’s names during the sorting hat ceremony, especially as she had been on the lookout for the two of them, they had been sorted before her. Eclipse Blackthorne, the wolf-eyed Gryffindor, whose wicked smile was the messenger of bad news but her heart was true and kind. And after Eclipse, there had been Eden. Eden Blackthorne, the amber-eyed Ravenclaw and eldest twin, who could weave webs and learn the secrets of others with a mere glance. 

Lily figured that those two were going to a part of something big. She just could not foresee on how, but she would be forever grateful that fate lead her to that exact moment of tripping and holding Eden Blackthorne's hand.


	2. Estranged

_moon dust in your lungs_

_stars in your eyes,_

_you are a child of the cosmos,_

_a ruler of the skies_

1st year

10 September 1971

People began to whisper the first week. ‘Those Blackthornes are nothing but trouble— they are too close to the muggles, even though they are pureblood wizards.’

Rumors being,’ Did you know that the Blackthorne family mansion is home to this big forest, it being a backyard. I’ve heard that there was or is something in the forest— people have seen something in there before. Something inhumane. Maybe monsters.’

Slytherins were even angrier because,’ No Blackthorne has been sorted into our house, even though they are purebloods. Why wouldn’t they want to be in our house?’

The Blackthornes were either sorted into the other three houses or had been sent to the other wizarding schools throughout the world— according to which ever school would be more amiable to the Blackthorne’s already developing power.

On one hand, it seemed that the Ravenclaw Blackthorne was simply a study bug. One whose smile was too devilish, because she always seemed to hold a secret on everyone she meets, no one sees her smile as often in other times. She is already developing the talent of divination. An eleven year old who carried her sketchbook of arts and different worlds, along with one or two books for reading in her free time.

Even more known for her musical talent with the violin and piano, Eden was a talented witch. She also seemed pale, much paler to her tanned Gryffindor twin, or she appeared with a sickly pallor at worse. But she was full of energy. She never missed classes, but she always appeared as though she got into a scrap with someone the day before or she would be seen falling asleep during lessons at different times of the month.

On the other hand, the wolf eyed Gryffindor Blackthorne was always smiling and joking with Lily, the two had become fast friends; especially since they shared the same dorm as Gryffindors. The girl became known for being good with pranks, but the more harmless version compared to the soon-to-be-Marauders’.

She also had a motherly knack to wanting to take care of others around her, making them laugh came easily and if she needed to scold someone for being too reckless, she would play the role if needed. Eclipse was passing her classes with ease, it was not hard to figure out that the twins share each other’s notes. She also has the knack for flying. She was going to try out for Quidditch when she was older.

Lily Evans never cared for gossip, but it was kind of out of curiosity that led her to go research the Blackthornes. After finding an excuse to leave Severus and satisfy her guilty sin of curiosity, she found herself in the library. It was easy to find a family tree book on the pureblood families that have existed for thousands of years in the wizarding world.

This would also be the first time Lily had a civilized conversation with Remus Lupin.

The boy was obviously ill. He was so pale, whether from the room’s lighting or it being his natural skin tone, it had Lily genuinely worried. Even for a young boy, Remus was quite tall. Lanky limbs and knobby joints that seemed to stick out too much. He usually hid himself in oversized sweaters that were frayed at his sleeves from fingering and stretching them too much. Though of course, how the two first years quite literally _bumped_ into each other was how they officially met.

Lily let out a squeak.

Remus had seemed more frightened then Lily had been, he usually was aware of his surroundings and if someone was nearby.

“Well, hello there.” He smiled shyly and spoken with the right amount of politeness.

His kind brown irises lit up in recognition, this redhead was James’ target of young persistent affection.

“Oh, _oh_. Hello, uh.” Lily blushed, embarrassed for not knowing his name.

Remus simply smiled more. “Remus. Remus Lupin.”

Lily giggled and copied him,” Lily. Lily Evans.”

The two got acquainted rather easily.

“So, what brings you here to the library? Late night reading or have you already received a horrid amount of homework?” Remus had allowed his inquisitive nature get the better of him.

Lily jumped slightly,” Oh, it’s, it is just that I’m curious about Eden’s and Eclipse’s family tree. I don’t know the wizarding families.”

Remus nodded with understanding, ears figuratively perking up at the mention of the Blackthorne twins. He began to leave with his chosen book in hand.

“That’s understandable, I’ll leave you to it.”

He winked and was gone, but he really found a different spot that he was sure Lily would not find him, accidentally or not. Lily breathed and began to sit down, opening the family tree book.

“Alright, let’s get started,” she stopped and then gave a sigh,” first sign of madness: talking to one’s self.”

She groaned and then took to reading the family tree. Remus had been too engrossed in his own book to notice two shadows passing by him.

The Blackthornes. A pureblood family, who is well known for being well-invested in the both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. They have been known to be able to transverse both worlds with ease and, of course, secrecy. The family started with Saiph Blackthorne, his two other brothers and his one sister. Names not recorded. Some relatives are recorded down, some missing dates and some missing full names.

Though while there have been times where a Blackthorne kept to the ‘pureblood’ bloodline, it wasn’t dismissed that another Blackthorne would marry a muggle-born witch or wizard or that a muggle-born would marry into the family. The Blackthorne family had no objection to the mixing of the races, and any who married or was born into the family still account as family.

Lily rubbed her eyes as the large book spewed some more information, and she finally skimmed her way to the last century of the Blackthorne’s family history. Skipping some more years; Lily found the twins’ grandparents and parents. Killian Blackthorne and Fallon Blackthorne are listed as brothers, who are a single year apart from one another. Parents being Killian Sr. Blackthorne and Octavia Blackthorne, nee. Greengrass.

Killian and Fallon became aurors as young adults. Fallon retired early after an incident that has not been written down and now works from home, as someone who oversees exotic animals in the Muggle world— he never married. Killian, on the other hand, had indeed married to an Ezra Blackthorne, nee. Maestro.

Nothing really satisfied Lily’s nagging want for knowledge.

That was when dark hair brushes the top of her head, along with a chin landing on Lily’s crown.

“Well, look at that, it has our names and everything, Eden. You know, Lily Evans, if you wanted to know about us, you just need but ask.”

Eclipse had her usual wicked smile as Eden Blackthorne sat down next Lily. The two witches essentially caging Lily in as they made themselves known.

“Sorry, I was just curious.” Lily blushed, ashamed.

Eden opens her textbook for Charms along with her Herbology book and lightly grins at the redhead,” Nothing wrong with that.”

Lily smiles, and brushes her hair behind her ears,” Then can I ask about what it’s like being in a family like yours?”

Eclipse sat on the other side of the redheaded Gryffindor. “Our family isn’t really all _that_ special. It’s just that we haven’t had twins since five hundred years ago?”

Eclipse looked to her quiet counterpart of a sister for confirmation, Lily noticed that Eden was ahead by a few chapters from the chapter they were assigned today in Charms. Herbology was a subject that she was taking slowly, to fully absorb the information before she would start it next year.

Eden nodded,” We, like other purebloods, are ridiculously rich. Blackthornes are just known for not being sorted into Slytherin, and that we are interested in the works of the Muggle world. I admit, I quite like their music…”

Eclipse smiled,” Speaking of the Muggle world, back at home, there is this event that the Muggles in the closest town call a “Rose Festival”. It is in the summer. Our father has everyone in the family to attend it, he’s what you could call a rose expert, been obsessed with it ever since he went to it for the first time. Maybe you can come sometime, Lils.”

Lily smiled, but then frowned,” I remember that my family was planning a reunion this summer… but maybe next year or something?”

She compromised and began to smile even more when Eclipse nodded.

“You don’t know how long it’s been since we have had someone come over. Quite boring really, since it’s just us.”

Eden had been writing notes on a spare piece of parchment, always listening but still more focused on her notes. But then looked up at the moon outside the large windows of the library, determining the time.

“It’s getting late, all of us should get to bed. Goodnight, you two.”

She slipped the parchment into her Charms book as she closed the Herbology book as well, gently patted Lily’s and squeezed her sister’s shoulder as she passed by them and went to exit the library.

Eden Blackthorne made eye contact with Remus Lupin, for the very first time, since they have arrived to Hogwarts. Remus’ spine had straightened, a cold feeling going down his back, for he felt that Eden could read into his very soul and find that there was something other than human lurking there. Yet when she had smiled at him, with a tender and almost vulnerable smile, it felt like the two had made their friendship right then and there.

Without a word passed between them, he smiled back.


	3. Quite by Chance

1st year

5 November 1971

“But Professor, Blaire is technically a feline.”

Eclipse and Lily stayed back for Eden, and the two were now watching the argument between professor and student. Students for the next class were forming in a crowd just outside the Charms classroom.

Professor Flitwick had noticed that Blaire was an unusually large cat, who just so happened to be an ocelot, that was rubbing against Eden’s ankles during the lesson. The said ocelot currently sitting upon a table, a haughty look in his eyes, his tail swished about.

James Potter and his close-knit friends, Remus, Sirius and behind them is quiet Peter, were all snickering as Professor Flitwick was stuttering. Blaire seemed all-knowing, watching the Professor with his slit eyes that seemed to say,’ I dare you to try to separate me from my witch.’

It also gave some time for the group of boys to study the way Eden stood and talked. Everyone had said it,’ There’s something strange about that Eden Blackthorne. Too quiet, just extremely strange.’

It was all true.

The warm, gentle, yet intense amber eyes had appeared sort of dream-like and hazy; maybe she was daydreaming between everything that happens from here and to there, anywhere really. She stood with an air of elegance, yet a lazy poise.

There was something odd about her. A silence around her, a stillness that surrounded her even if she was moving around. She could easily blend in with a crowd, yet she could stand out just the same because of her eyes or the need to have someone’s attention. Her eyes seemed to be that of the eyes of an all-seeing beast that craved for the unknown.

“I understand, Professor, but Blaire is…” Eden was gazing at Flitwick but at the same time, it was like she was looking at something else with a look of empathy.

Professor, and Head of Gryffindor, McGonagall glided through the crowd and called,” Professor Flitwick, I haven’t the slightest clue on why your students are outside of your classroom but—“

She stopped as both Blaire’s and Eden’s eyes stared at the older witch. “Ah… I understand now. Professor Flitwick, Blaire may be an ocelot but he is indeed a feline— Headmaster Dumbledore had already approved of Miss Blackthorne’s choice of pet. Her uncle had gifted his precious elder niece with Blaire as a birthday present.”

Eclipse smirked and whispered into Lily’s ear, gaining a giggle from the redhead. James watched with jealously.

Sirius snickered some more, earning Eden’s attention and he had stopped; for her eyes seemed to pierce through and at him. Until they shifted to Remus, Sirius then watched as his good mate and the Blackthorne smiled with mischief to one another. It was as though everything was planned and executed perfectly.

❊❊❊❊

It happened during dinner time, in the late evening of the chilly and just beginning month of February.

The first time Eclipse Blackthorne ever spoke with Sirius Black, his first words to her was never spoken. Just maybe: there was a tiny chance, that Eclipse Blackthorne had inherited her mother’s skills in divination— just as her twin sister had.

Or maybe, it was a onetime deal only.

Sirius had been recently been dubbed as ‘too charming’ and ‘he’ll grow up as a fine, attractive wizard, powerful no doubt about it’— his ego began to double in its size tremendously as he was bragging others’ words about him to his friends. He didn’t mention on the other compliments though, the ones that spoke,’ he’s a disappointment, a disgrace of the Black family’.

Eclipse was sitting next to them, evidently, and she was obviously amused as she watched his ramblings. She thought it was quite hilarious, this kid was going off his rocker _but_ at least he no longer had that dull and depressed look about him.

At the beginning of the year, Sirius Black had appeared as though he was a kicked puppy. Whenever he was cornered: he was angry and violent, lashing out whenever someone tried to get too close. He had even punched another student, gaining his first detention.

By the time winter break had passed, he seemed to have a small ember burning in his eyes, it was just beginning and would grow into a roaring fire later on. He and James had become the best of friends during Christmas. Now, he was a rebelling little punk, with a large smile on his face. For once, the twelve year old boy was happy.

Ignoring Lily’s warning, she was interested in befriending them. She just had to wait for the opportune time, the perfect moment to do so.

Black was beginning to form a plan about his years ahead of time,” Maybe I should start a fanclub. ‘The Black Sheep’, what do you think? Ooh, maybe even date some girls. What do you think, James? Remus?” At this time, Sirius wasn’t convinced about having Peter as a friend, just yet, especially since James wasn’t either.

Sirius, also happened to be sitting next to Eclipse, he turned to her with a wide smile wanting attention from just about anyone. He was just about to ask her a question. He was probably going to ask her about the ‘dating some girls’ part.

Eclipse lifted her hand in between them, promptly stopping him. “Sorry, Black, but you have the wrong Blackthorne.”

Her wicked smile adorned on her face, she surprised the boys with her wit and sharp tongue. Remus snorted, so loudly and abruptly, that he nearly choked on his pumpkin juice. Sirius looked gobsmacked, mouth hanging open.

But the Blackthorne had smiled at the Black, the two’s friendship began.

❊❊❊❊

The first time Eden Blackthorne had used her talent for divination was when she met fifth year Narcissa Black. Students have returned to their house dorms. The blonde, older female was hiding in a corner, after having left the Slytherin dorms deliberately, her hands hiding her face from others seeing her tears. Eden just happened to have heard a hiccup.

The Ravenclaw reached towards the Slytherin, surprising the older girl and her hand stopped and returned to her own side. Her head tilted when Narcissa sniffed and went to quickly wipe her tears away.

She attempted at a scowl, to scare away the girl,” What do you want?”

Eden started, by sitting next to Narcissa, but she didn’t say something until Narcissa tried another method to intimidate her.

The Blackthorne’s next words stopped the Black,” I only cried like that once, who is he?”

She brought her legs up and hugged her arms around them, leaning her chin on her forearms, waiting for the older girl’s hesitation to come to an end.

Narcissa blinked, her mouth ajar from surprise. “Lucius Malfoy.”

Eden nodded, understanding and still waiting.

“I don’t love him. He’s so arrogant and cold. He hexes people, and they didn’t even deserve it. My parents, though, they would just be _so_ overjoyed if he were to have me as his.”

Narcissa didn’t understand, why she could speak so easily to this girl and not her own sisters or closer friends, but it made sense afterwards. Someone she never met, someone who wouldn’t judge her because of the ‘pureblood tradition’ even though the Blackthorne was just as much a pureblood, similar to the daughter of Black. Someone who had such kind eyes and gentle hands.

Eden offered her open palm, face up, and Narcissa didn’t even think as she gave her own palm— not even when Eden slowly drew her fingertip along the visible and invisible lines of Narcissa Black’s hand. When she seemed done, she let go and Narcissa wiggled her fingers as she peeked at Eden in anticipation.

“One day, you’re going to fall in love. Maybe he seems no good to you, but his heart is yours.”

Narcissa’s eyes widened as Eden looked off to the wall opposite of the two witches. “One day, you’re going to marry with love in your heart. One day, you’re going to cry from happiness because you’re pregnant, it was born of love. It is a boy.”

Narcissa gasped, bring her hand to her mouth in an attempt to calm herself whilst Eden finishes. “He will have the looks of his father, _but_ he will have your love as his mother. He’s going to be brought up spoiled, _but_ he’ll grow up a good man.”

Eden’s eyes flickered. As Narcissa smiled, with sadness and longing, the Black smiled her gratitude and left the Blackthorne, with hope in her heart for that future.

Eden didn’t stand up herself, instead, she waited.

Remus came out of his hiding spot and sat in the empty spot next to her. “Was that really true? All of it?”

Eden watched as two birds swooped in and out of her sight,” I was always good in seeing other people’s futures. Too bad, I just can’t see my own. Remus, do you happen to be thinking of pink hair?”

Remus squinted at her incredulously. “No… I’m not.”

She smiled but nodded with a frown afterwards.

“Must be my imagination.”


	4. Remus

_there is a moon inside every being,_

_learn to be companions with it_

_— rumi_

1st year

9 June 1972

The school year was slowly coming to an end, students studying like mad to make sure they were prepared enough for the exams.

Remus wasn’t really all that surprised when Eden Blackthorne sits herself next to him in the library. The two had become good friends over the year, studying together and helping one another at something the other didn’t understand.

Eden offers him a chocolate as a greeting, having another bar to herself.

“May I ask what this is for?” Remus smiled easily, but Eden’s _focused_ amber eyes made everyone nervous, he had a little twist in his gut.

“Are we going to tiptoe around it, Remus?”

Eden opens her own chocolate and slowly ate it in front of him. Her eyes carefully watching him, with a level-headed coolness that no twelve year old should have. His entire body dropped in temperature, fear however kept him attached to his body rather than him beginning to allow his head to search on all the ways on how Eden figured him out.

“I… H-how? But. Well, it doesn’t matter… Please, just give me some time to allow me to pack up—” Remus stuttered and began to fidget his fingers whilst clutching the chocolate bar.

Eden stared at him with a look of disbelief,” Remus.”

He began moving around in his seat, attempting to leave so he could get himself packed before she would tell the entire school. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins, but her words stopped him.

He looks up, and he watches her lips curve up into a smile. “Y-yes?”

“What are you talking about? Leaving? I’m not _blackmailing_ you. I want to _help_ you.”

Remus blinked, not truly registering the Ravenclaw’s words. “What, what?”

She laughed lowly,” The real question is: how did you not know me?”

He registered those words just fine, and when he observed her all he could really focus on was the scar that curved along her cheekbone. The realization hit him.

All those times that James and Sirius told him about Eden’s supposed bad habit of falling asleep in class on peculiar days or when she looked like she had been in a losing fight. Then there were the times where Eclipse seemed exhausted just as much as her sister.

Eden Blackthorne is with the same condition as he was.

“Did, did you?”

She skipped that part, with a small flourish of her hand,” Doesn’t matter, it is in the past. Look, I’ve heard of that new potion that was just invented. And, since we are both the epitome of intelligence, considering our being only first years, I thought we could try it.”

Remus made a breathless noise at her choice of words.

He then leaned in,” But the ingredients, I have heard…”

She waved her hand to stop his sentence,” I’ve got that covered, so, Remus; do you want to give it go?"

His face contorted to that of consideration, spending only a few moments. When his face relaxes and he eyes his chocolate, he doesn’t answer and only leaned back into his chair. He began to eat his gifted chocolate bar.

She smiled like the devil, a delicious curve at the corner of her mouth and a slight bit of darkness that Remus can’t quite place a name to. The two made a silent agreement, they wouldn’t tell a soul about one another.

❊❊❊❊

Today, as it is the 9th day of June, it is the Blackthorne twins’ twelfth birth year.

The Gryffindor dorm room that had been home to Lily Evans, Eclipse Blackthorne, Alice Fortescue, Marlene McKinnon and Dorcus Meadows was filled with presents and sweets. It being the same with Eden’s own dorm room all the way in Ravenclaw tower.

Lily Evans sighed, the thought of leaving Hogwarts after final exams to go to the boring family reunion and Petunia going to tell everyone about Lily being a ‘freak’.

“What’s wrong, Lily?” Eclipse sat herself down on Lily’s bed, next to the sighing redhead.

“Oh. It is just, I don’t really want to go home. But I will have to, my parents are so excited to tell everyone about my exams and Hogwarts.”

Lily placed her hands on her cheeks as she leaned her elbows on her crisscrossed knees. Eclipse seemed naturally worried for her redheaded friend, she only guessed on what was going on back at home for Lily Evans and it was a good first guess. “If you want, you can still come over... if you want…”

Eclipse twiddled her thumbs, the thought of having to go home was less than nice as every other pureblood family thought. But if the Blackthorne twins had a friend like Lily come, it would be a fun summer. Everything was dull after what happened because of the horrors that You-Know-Who’s reign of terror had begun.

Eclipse didn’t hear Lily’s apology.

Lily was surprised from the flash of anger in her best friend’s eyes. The wolf eyed witch even had her nails digging crescent marks into the palms of her hands from whatever had caused the sudden flux of emotions.

“Eclipse, are you alright?”

The girl looked up from her hands, her wolfish eyes softening considerably,” It’s nothing, Lily, I promise.”

She smiled differently, Eclipse Blackthorne lied with that kind of smile. But the smile was what convinced others that she was okay.

Lily Evans saw right through it, but she didn’t say anything.

❊❊❊❊

Exams have come to an end. First to seventh years had been finished with packing, to return home for the summer. The Hogwarts train arrived on the later part of the month of June, whisking the students back to the awaiting station back in London.

Sirius, shook in fear as the train was getting closer and closer to Platform 9 and ¾, he had no idea what would await him. James did everything he could to calm down his best friend. Remus doing the same, but he had his own fears. Peter was excited on the other hand but he was attempting to help calm down Sirius, as well.

Lily was hoping that she didn’t have to endure Petunia’s glare and whispered jeers. Eclipse simply patted the redhead’s shoulder, Eden was reading a book— not even looking up when the trolley had come by and asking if any of the girls wanted some sweets.

The train arrived late into the next morning. The students of Hogwarts were going back to their homes, into the loving embrace of their families.

Lily Evans smiled as she saw only her parents, lovingly waiting for her. She thought that maybe this family reunion would be alright, as she jogged to her parents welcoming arms.

The four boys had promised to owl one another, no matter what. James had flinched when Walburga Black pinched her nails into Sirius' arm and Orion Black had ushered the two away from the crowds, without a word. Sirius had longingly watched as Fleamont and Euphemia Potter had lovingly greeted their only child back from such a long year without him around back at home. Remus had smiled at his guardians and Peter had already left with his own.

No one saw Eden nor Eclipse Blackthorne— as though they were but shadows of the world and had vanished before they even stepped off the train.


	5. Brothers

_she’s mad but she’s magic,_

_there’s no lie in her fire_

_— charles bukowski_

2nd year

1 September 1972

Summer break had come too fast, thus signaling that the year was long past. Lily’s promise to owl the twins had been kept and she, of course, ignored James Potter’s request to owl him. Eden had owled Remus, with Eclipse's owl, wanting his confirmation on the batch she had prepared for his summer transformations.

But then, time passed again, the break was over, and the first years were becoming second years. Seventh years graduated and were long gone to make their marks in the world, making room for new students to become first years.

A certain redhead miraculously found the Blackthorne twins together in a compartment, with another Ravenclaw and a number of unsorted students who were going to become first years.

Eden was comforting a kid, who was nervous about which house he’d be sorted in, he was inspired to become a Ravenclaw just like the elder Blackthorne. Eclipse doing the same, but making the kid laugh so hard— making her completely forget about her worries.

The Ravenclaw was Xenophilius Lovegood, who happened to befriend Eden last year. He was slightly odd, but he was a friendly guy who seemed to be able to see a different kind of world. He was petitioning to create a writing newspaper for his ‘world’, he was going to call it ‘The Quibbler’. His passion for it had attracted Eden, and she opted to aid him whenever he asked.

The sisters turned their heads at the sound of Lily’s entrance to the train’s compartment. Eclipse’s wicked smile that promised chaos and laughter could take a person’s breath away, in terror and excitement with the wildly devious glint in her wolfish eyes. But it is Eden, who tilts her head with a kind smile curved with her mouth, her piercing amber eyes that takes Lily’s breath as a victim.

“Eden, Eclipse, it’s been so long. I missed you!” Lily smiled as she greeted them, the three friends had hugged and waited for the train to arrive to its destination.

❊❊❊❊

Lily Evans hadn’t tripped this time when arriving to Hogwarts. She still had yet to live it down herself. The twins were by her side, and they reluctantly accepted Severus Snape when he came to join Lily’s side. The odd group of four had ignored the four boys that they became fairly acquainted with from last year.

“How was your summer, Lils?” Eclipse had asked as Eden went to her own table.

Lily and Eclipse took to sitting as close as possible to Eden despite their separated House tables. The four boys sat just a little further away. It took some time but soon, all returning students finally sat down and calmed down for the Headmaster’s announcement. Excited energy zipping in the great hall of Hogwarts.

The first years were being sorted. The group of kids who had been comforted by the twins and Lily Evans were either sorted into Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, one in Slytherin and one joining Eden in Ravenclaw— but it was obvious, those five kids who bonded within the time on the train ride were going to remain close.

Lily practically put herself to tears as she congratulated the Gryffindor ones, Eclipse teased her and the two playfully bickered. Eclipse calmed down, but not before yelling to the young Slytherin, who she had laughing to tears a few hours back, that she was going to be a great witch.

It didn’t matter that she was a Slytherin, she was just a kid who had worried about what house she would have been sorted in; until she met Eclipse. Eclipse receives a bright smile and that earns the younger witch a wink of dazzling grandeur.

Eden had been ignoring someone, who was staring into the back of her head with such intensity that it was beginning to figuratively burn her. She was invested in the drawing she started on, in her new sketchbook for the year, she decided it be best that she ignored them.

Sirius Black never had the time to actually converse with the older Blackthorne, he resorted to simply watching her from a careful distance. She has senses that matched a feline’s, maybe a hawk’s, so why wasn’t she looking back? He quietly sighed and went back to watching the sorting.

The unexpected came.

It was during this time that Eclipse and Eden had watched Regulus Black’s sorting. The boy was indefinitely Sirius Black’s younger brother, the two shared the similar resemblance.

Eden stared at the young wizard, his gray eyes worriedly looking out to the watchful crowds of the separated Houses but he did not know what or who to exactly search for. She set her lead utensils down as everyone else began to bare down onto the next student who was being sorted.

“Regulus Black.”

The boy nervously walked in front and sat upon the stool. When McGonagall placed the sorting hat upon his head, it had actually seemed thoughtful to the audience of the Great Hall. But it lasted only for a second and loudly announced the inevitable,” Slytherin!”

The Slytherin house cheered the loudest. Some clapped politely, others booed.

Sirius Black’s face fell instantly, stomach rolling with the already past dread. Regulus’ having mirrored it; but smoothly he had transitioned to the Slytherin table and gaining warm welcomes along with receiving pats on his back from the Slytherin house.

The twins smiled simultaneously, they saw it and knew the truth. Sirius, who had befriended the younger Blackthorne last year, questioned her with his heart filled with disappointment.

Eclipse replied easily,” The hat hesitated.”

The four friends, consisting of James, Remus, Sirius and Peter, collectively looked at her in shock. But when the Houses began cheering again for the next sorted student, it took the boys and Lily’s attention away. She had smiled at them, taking in each of them and committing them to memory. And then she looks over her shoulder, spotting who she searched for amongst the rest of the crowds before she stood up from her seat and left the Great Hall. Eden Blackthorne had also disappeared from her Ravenclaw table. No artbook or lead utensil in sight.

❊❊❊❊

19 September 1972

Eden finally met the infamous Black brothers.

She passed by him without so much as a glance, whilst traveling her way to the library; needing a new book to read, and for some research on the essay that Professor Slughorn announced that was due in two weeks’ time. When she finally reached the doors of the library, she stops to the side of it and Sirius was in her direct line of sight, a charming smile on his face.

He was fate, with his smile that charmed so many people. She was pure coincidence, the shadow behind others but the light to those who are lost in the dark.

“And so we meet, we were obviously meant to be… Eden, _my love_.” He dramatically calls, sweeping his fingers through his hair, pushing the rebel hairs from his face as he began leaning towards her.

She snorted unladylike, and smiled devilishly, at Sirius. His face contorted to one of confusion. “Sirius, _darling_. Try again, maybe, when we are older.”

For some reason, Remus had appeared in her mind— she turned on her heels and left Sirius to go into the library.

❊❊❊❊

Regulus Black has been struggling to find his classes and he suddenly body slammed into someone from his reckless sprinting down the hallways. When the two had stood back up after regaining themselves from the impact, they both looked to each other.

Eden was slightly taller, as she was older and had the tall genes from both her parents. She patted herself down, blinked at him, and observed Regulus. The young Black, with the gray eyes that he shared with his older brother, was about to apologize.

But it was then he realized that he had presently barreled into Eden Blackthorne.

‘A Blackthorne,’ he thought to himself and he fell quiet. His entire mind went blank. The second year had smiled at Regulus with a kind smile. That really surprised him, but he didn’t know why. Maybe it was because the young wizard found the older witch oddly familiar or because her smile is soft and kind, something he is not really accustomed to.

“Lost?”

He snapped back into reality and nodded with embarrassment. He watched in silence as she pulled out a blank piece of parchment, handing it to him.

He was confused to no end. How was a piece of parchment going to help him with anything, least of all with finding his classes?

Until he jumped, realizing her stance as she brandished out her rosewood wand that had twisted vines upon its entire length with a phoenix feather as its heart. She pointed her wand towards the parchment he held, she whispered the required spell, and the parchment instantly folded itself as a paper bird.

He gasped, she laughed in amusement.

“Say your class and it will lead you, make sure to be careful about the stairs. Good luck, Regulus Black.”

He didn’t have the time to ask on how she knew his name, as she was already rounding the corner to go her intended destination.

Regulus looked back down at the bird and for a moment, he felt that the bird was waiting for him as though it was truly alive. Magic was truly extraordinary, Eden Blackthorne’s magic had pleasantly surprised him. And he still ponders briefly as to why he feels like he knows her from someplace he can’t quite recall.

He had class to get to, however, and so he whispered his class to the bird in gentle tones and he followed after it as it flew away from his hands.

❊❊❊❊

Sirius Black had leaned on the wall, as he had watched his baby brother go after a paper bird. He had heard the short conversation and thought not much of it. But before he knew it, Eden had passed by him without a second glance. He had seen her before, but there was always something about Eden Blackthorne that would catch his attention.

Watching the side of her pass by him, he caught a new something: her scar. And yet, it only seemed to add to the strange beauty she appeared with since the day he had seen her talking to her twin sister.

It was back in their first year— the time when she had been on the train to Hogwarts as the rest of the new coming students. She had passed by the four boys’ compartment, talking to her sister. But before the two disappeared from the windows, in search of a compartment that wasn’t so full— Sirius had been gifted with the sight of Eden’s gentle eyes and smiling face.

The only problem that disrupted the perfection: her lovely expression was directed to Eclipse Blackthorne. They all were. Eden Blackthorne adored her twin sister as Eclipse would to Eden. Anyone who says the two didn't love each other as any twin sisters do— they were blind. Those two were always together, close as any pair of sisters would be.

He followed after Eden Blackthorne and have been ever since.


	6. Two for Four

_her heart was a secret garden_

_and the walls were very high_

2nd year

20 September 1972

Eclipse waltzed down the stairs, with Dorcus Meadows and Marlene KcKinnon ahead of her, she was too tired to listen to the other girls’ conversation. She yawned and stretched out all her limbs as she arrived to the Common Room.

Poor Lily became too busy with her Potions homework, and she has been cursing it for being so confusing. She wasn’t coming down just yet and it didn’t help Eclipse’s mood. Dorcus and Marlene pass the other lounging students in the Common Room and go to leave through the Fat Lady’s portrait. Her wolfish eyes landed on the occupied seats throughout the room, until they landed back on the couch. Perfect.

Eclipse decided to simply wait for whatever would come to her, particularly cranky from all the homework she had allowed to pile up for a couple of days. She hadn’t been feeling particularly scholarly for the last week and forced herself to having finished it all without her sister’s help just a few minutes ago.

A skinny and as tall as the boy could be at his age, with really crazy, untamed hair with some wire glasses on his face, was laughing loudly. The second boy was another wizard who was the opposite of the laughing boy, short and chubby and was on the border of becoming fat.

Eclipse could see that the couch had enough space for herself, and so she plopped herself down without any grace on the couch, ignoring the two boys’ astonishment. She didn’t know if she needed a nap or her sister’s calming presence.

“You’re Eclipse Blackthorne. Eden’s twin, right?”

Lord, give her the strength to endure. Not that she and her family were particularly religious. But she felt like she was going to need something to keep her from clawing her eyes out in her hazy mood.

James Potter smiled first then eased himself next to her.

Eclipse’s golden eyes landed upon him,” Aye, we are identical twins. Well, except for the obvious eye colour and me not having the freckles… though if you look close enough, you’ll see some light freckles.”

Her blunt and witty banter had the two boys chuckling, she smiled her usual wicked smile, which showed some pearly white teeth.

However, at the same time she appeared a tad bit tired to the two boys— which made them wonder if she was okay or if she was beginning to catch something. She just wanted her sister, not these two.

“I noticed that we never really talked before, I’m James Potter. What I do know about you is that you are my Lilypad’s close friend. I also know that you played that powder prank on that Slytherin.”

James leaned in, smiling mischievously. Peter simply watched the two exchange words. Eclipse noted Peter’s nervous hands, which kept moving about as though he couldn’t just simply sit still.

“Lilypad? Oh, you poor, poor boy, you are not going to be able to charm her with that kind of nickname.”

This seemed to have Peter laughing cheekily, gaining James’ attention back and the two lightly bickered— with smiles that took all the seriousness out of it. Eclipse watched the two boys, an odd pair but something nagged at her whilst she gazed upon Peter Pettigrew. She couldn’t name that feeling and didn’t like it at all.

They stopped, looking to Eclipse for the explanation of her prank.

She shrugged,” He deserved it, for hexing that first year. He deserved more than just powder, even.”

She peered into the fire place in front of the couch, ignoring the two’s suggestions on Lily’s new nickname. Her first impression of the two boys: master and servant relationship. Eclipse thinks that if she spoke that outloud, Eden would have scolded her a little with an unspoken amusement in her eyes.

“Lilyflower?” The blue eyed and optically impaired boy captured Eclipse’s attention back.

“Maybe something that doesn’t involve Lily’s name?” Peter suggested, fidgeted some more, as though he quivering child who didn’t want to be yelled at, only furthering Eclipse’s impression about him.

James simply rubbed at his chin, more to himself rather than to either of the two beside him,” I can’t think of anything else.”

She watched James more closely, reading him like she could with everyone else she meets. She was a people person, as her father had said, having the instinct that she could tell what a person was like with enough observation.

Eclipse already had the strong sense of James’ character— so very easy to read. James is spontaneous, reckless even, definitely head over heels for Lily Evans. At such a young age, too!

He’s confident, maybe too confident, but Eclipse could tell that his loyalty to his friends was as strong as mithril, unbreakable. He would do anything for them, even if he would lose an arm or leg. Just a boy, but a boy who had been taught well by his parents. He and her could become good friends, with time.

Peter, however, something seemed to halt her senses but she didn’t need her skill to tell her that Peter was extremely shy, meek, and malleable. He may cower in the front-lines but his heart is strong enough to stand by his friends. His constantly moving hands had her shift slightly, she didn’t like the way he would move so. She became frustrated, but it didn’t bother her as long as he didn’t bother her.

“Eclipse?” The girl looked from the fireplace once more and back to James.

“I’m going to let you onto a girl thing, is that alright with you, James?” The boy nodded vigorously.

“Whatever you do, don’t anger Lily… Or my sister on that matter. We girls can hold grudges for a very long time. Think before you act.”

When she spoke those words, she suddenly had turned to think about her twin— wondering if Eden had already met the boys or hadn’t. Oh well.

It was probably the wisest advice she could offer. And the boy blatantly did it anyways, when he hexed Severus Snape in third year and continued to constantly bully Lily’s childhood friend since then.

❊❊❊❊

Eden Blackthorne sneezed, nearly smacking her forehead onto her book. Sirius snorted, earning Eden’s playful glare.

Remus offered a tissue,” Bless you.”

She smiled and accepted the tissue. “Strange, that usually happens when someone is talking about me… Maybe Eclipse…”

She pinched her nose with the tissue and blew gently into it, dabbed at her freckled nose before she disposed of it into a nearby trashcan.

Remus chuckled as he and Eden returned to their studying on magical creatures for their upcoming project. Sirius was attempting at new, advanced Charm spells, to impress Eden. He blushed when she looked to him.

“Sirius, if you are going to continue to wistfully gaze at Remus, I suggest you not do so while practicing those Charms. Might end up hexing yourself.”

Eden had attempted to joke, humour wasn't something she was good at. Eclipse was good at it, though. Her amber eyes lit up with amusement as Sirius flustered harder.

It was Remus’ turn to snort,” Oh, Sirius, I didn’t know that you had feelings for me, mate.”

Remus didn’t need to even guess on Sirius’ just developing feelings for Eden.

Sirius chuckled,” Of course, I’m just waiting for you to propose, Lupin.”

Eden’s eyes watched him, more like examined. Her eyes pierced through the veil that hid his other selves. He smiled a little too wide, his eyes cracked with humor but behind it all he hid dark secrets.

She remained silent, she didn’t need her specialty at divination to figure him out. She looked back down to her text. Sirius didn’t understand why her amusement faded from her eyes, he didn’t comment upon it as he continued to joke with Remus.

Eden perceived the darkness within Sirius Black and she kept his secret, as she had with many others.


	7. The Great Prank

_i’m a day dreamer_

_and a night thinker_

3rd year

1973

Over the summer, Remus’ ‘furry’ problem had been discovered. The three boys: James, Sirius and Peter had had enough of the ‘visiting my ailing mother or grandmother’ excuse.

The Marauders formed and the promise to become animagi was made between the three, without Remus’ knowledge. They wouldn’t tell him, not until after finding out on how to gain the ability to become animagi.

Remus kept Eden’s secret to himself, though, not until Eden herself would want them to know. Especially not with the way that Sirius had spoken about her, and the way she had had ‘rejected’ him the year before. He would take her secret to his grave, if necessary.

❊❊❊❊

5 September 1973

Ever since Lily first witnessed the Marauders’ bullying on Severus, at the beginning of their third year— she had been angry with the four boys ever since then. James and Sirius were the worst in their bullying towards Severus. She complained to Eclipse and the Blackthorne told of the events to her sister.

The three friends converged in the library early in the morning.

“Let’s do a prank to get back at them then. Simple. It is common sense.” Eden had whisper-talked, as she was reading her book, to her twin and the redhead who was still red in the face with anger.

Eclipse looked to her older sister, then pointed her index finger at Eden,” That, my dear sister, is bloody brilliant. We should probably get some other people to become a part of it too, I want this prank to be on a big scale. Maybe we could involve the entire school on it.”

Lily had smiled deviously, it felt good to be bad even if it was only for this one time.

❊❊❊❊

It took two months. Eden had said that if they did all the things the Marauders had done to Severus, it would simply backfire and Severus would be the victim twofold. So, they waited.

Waited and watched what the Marauders had done or would do, and while they had been patient: they gathered as many students as possible, even from Slytherin.

When the first prank began, it took the entire Gryffindor house to accomplish it. James had hexed a first year for talking loudly. And so, Lily charmed objects in Gryffindor’s Common Room to gradually become louder— she would have to manually elevate the noise once a couple of days.

The ancient grandfather clock, the crackling of the fire in the fireplace, scraping of certain furniture against the floorboards. Anything that usually people found as normal, every day to day things; those things would become James Potter’s nightmare.

When informed, anyone around James would pretend that they don’t hear anything out of ordinary. Some kids even went as far as to doing some things ‘loudly’; shuffling pieces of parchment, whispering that became average talk and average talk would become yelling and shouting. When Eclipse had trouble with isolating the noise to only James, she had Eden to fix the small problems. After that, Eden no longer took part of the prank, especially if the boys came to her, demanding answers.

At first, Lily had fretted that it wasn’t working; but within three days, James began to ask others about the obnoxious noises.

“Isn’t the clock ticking too loudly?”

He would ask his fellow Marauders. They looked at him as if he was finally losing it, shaking their heads. When Sirius, Remus and Peter weren’t around; he would ask others. They too said no.

James only lasted two weeks.

He was doing homework and finally it was just too much. He slams his quill down, he had been doing homework for Transfiguration, covering his ears and runs out of the Common Room,” I’m getting Madam Pomfrey to check my ears!”

Lily was snickering behind her hand. Eclipse who had been sitting next to the boys had only watched James, she was talented with hiding her signature smile.

When Madam Pomfrey had triple-checked James’ ears and head; he wasn’t convinced. He begged her to come to the Common Room. Before she had arrived, Lily and Eclipse had taken off the charms and everything was normal again.

“Everything seems to sound perfectly normal, Potter.”

Madam Pomfrey didn’t want to even deal with this, she left quickly when James fell to his knees and began to cry in relief and his hysteria.

He didn’t even know what hit him.

Up next was Sirius. Eclipse was the one to initiate this prank, as she was the only one who could get close to the Marauders and not be suspected due to her friendship with the lot of them. She was so close to them; that she was even a candidate to become a Marauder.

She had slipped in a concoction, one that Dorcus and Marlene had created, into Sirius’ pumpkin juice or anything he would drink. A concoction of slow hair loss.

Eden was a fortunate benefit to Sirius’ suffering.

For the entire month after winter break had passed, in January, Sirius was losing his hair at an increasing rate. No one knew what was going on. On the last day of the month, Sirius had shaved his head and everyone in the Great Hall during that beautiful morning could see his head in all its glorious shining cue ball form.

Sirius found the one person he was looking for, in the library, with the help of her ocelot, Blaire. She was reading her Defense against the Dark Arts text. He watched her silently, she was simply sitting.

“Hello…” He was wringing his hands out as he greeted her.

Blaire perched his lean body next to her book, rubbing his face lovingly into Eden’s arm, meowing for her to pay attention to Sirius.

Eden simply raised her eyebrow at the sight of Sirius, in the _library_ of all places.

“Hello.” She greeted back as she waved her hand, a wandless and nonverbal magic, to refill her hot chocolate mug. She jotted down a couple more notes on her parchment. He waited for her to finish.

“I see you have lost your hair. But I don’t know why you have come to me, Sirius.”

She looked back at him from her sitting position and Sirius sighed in relief. Sirius then began pouting, attempting at the ‘puppy eyes’ that would usually charm people into his bidding. It didn’t work on Eden Blackthorne. Probably never would.

“Please, help me, Eden, my love. I know you are good at Potions and I don’t want to wait for my hair to grow back!”

He was now begging, even went onto his knees and bent over her lap to hug her waist, nearing tears. Eden sighed. Sirius Black was the most dramatic person she has ever met. Blaire seemed amused but continued to rub himself all over his witch and her textbook.

“Alright. I’ll help you…”

He looked up at her in astonishment.

“But first, I need to know how this happened. I can’t just give you a potion to regrow your hair back, I need to know the specific method that you endured to this ‘hair loss’.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, but Remus had beaten him to it— he had followed after him to make sure he didn’t scare off Eden.

“I heard that Slughorn had been missing some ingredients from his cabinet; it is probable that Sirius ended up with some potion concoction.”

Eden nodded. Not like she already knew what her twin had been doing, spiking Sirius’ pumpkin juice. Not at all.

“I’ll get started on your regrowth potion, Sirius.”

The boy looked so happy in his relief and the pure joy that is Eden that had waltzed into his life. “I might just be falling in love with you, Eden Blackthorne.”

He swoons back upon her lap.

“ _But_.” Sirius froze immediately, along with Remus.

“You need to get the ingredients I require, from Slughorn’s cabinet. You can do that, can’t you?”

She smiled, as if she already knew about James’ invisibility cloak. But she couldn’t. Could she?

Sirius regained his luscious hair within the hour.

Eden ruffled his hair, carefully, to inspect that it had grown properly. He melted at the touch of her gentle hands. Remus was the only one who had witnessed the moment between the two.

People who would later on see Sirius’s regrown hair would become baffled.

❊❊❊❊

The last prank was on all of the Marauders, but Remus seemed to actually enjoy it unlike the other three boys. This became just about the entire school’s favorite prank in all of Hogwart’s history, mostly Lily’s own favorite. It was the most diabolical thing you could ever do to a person…

The prank that lasted until the last day of their third year: everyone wouldn’t speak, look or even breathe in the Marauders’ immediate proximity. Every student from all four houses, down to the last first year, every single professor, the elves that served throughout the school, _even_ the Headmaster— they all ignored the four boys.

It began in May, the year of 1974.

The three boys, Sirius, James and Peter, had turned to paranoia on the first day; thinking that it was a dream. Until they woke up the next day. That was when they panicked.

To Remus, he enjoyed the peace and quiet.

While James went to the kitchens bribing the house elves with food, Sirius crying at Minnie’s feet in the Great Hall and Peter having wept when he not only lost his savings from bribing others but having still been ignored— Remus Lupin was in the library with Eden Blackthorne.

“Remus?”

The named boy looked up, with an inquisitive look in his eyes. Blaire seemed to be the only animal that liked Remus, the ocelot was purring while curled up on his lap.

“Yes, Eden?”

She waved her hand over her mug to refill it back with hot chocolate and his cup of tea to the brim again.

“Did the ‘package’ I sent you work?”

He nodded. “As it always has been. You’ve been too kind with me, I know how expensive it is. Yet…”

She shook her head.

“I just want to make sure I’ve done it right for you. It always makes me feel better, to know you’re in less pain. I always worry about it, what if I made it and did too much or I didn’t do it right and sent you a botched up batch?” She frowned, worry in her eyes.

He simply smiled,” They are just right, don’t worry too much about it, Eden.”

She looked to him, and smiled, then looked back down to her text. “Also, I hope my sister’s and Lily’s prank is doing you some good. Less stress on you, right?”

He was absolutely gobsmacked, choking on his tea when he made the connections of the year-round pranks in his mind’s eye.

He smiled again, a chuckle sounded,” Well done. Well done, indeed.”

He had pet Blaire’s shining coat, earning Blaire’s meow and more purring. And the gleeful look in Eden’s eyes sends a thrill down Remus’ spine.


	8. Changes

_sometimes, I think of the sun and moon as lovers who rarely meet,_

_always chase and always miss one another._

_but once in a while, they do catch up and they kiss,_

_and the world stares in awe of their eclipse._

4th year

1 September 1974

Fourth year arrives.

James Potter was becoming even more persistent with his need to be with Lily Evans. Sirius Black had been dating all kinds of girls from every house including Slytherin or any female he could literally charm the pants off of. Remus Lupin with his ‘fuzzy’ problems still. Peter Pettigrew seemed nervous as always, but no one seemed to have noticed him sometimes disappearing at the oddest of times— but when he was around he was always seen with his mates.

Lily Evans’ feelings towards the Marauders seemed to change; comparing them to that of pesky annoyance. James Potter was more of a pain. Petunia was becoming more distant and it clearly upset Lily.

Eclipse Blackthorne was just an older version of her wicked smile and jokester nature. Eden Blackthorne, however, seemed noticeably more ill than her last few years. She and Eclipse had made sure that the other Marauders wouldn’t figure Eden out; not yet.

But what Eden did, the first thing that happened early in the morning on the first day back, had the entire student body rethink their thoughts about the oldest Blackthorne. The greatest part of their years, in Hogwarts, was when Eden had punched Amos Diggory in the face, for asking Eclipse out— everyone had seen it, in the Great Hall.

Because everyone knew that even though Diggory was a decent guy when it came to strangers and friends, he was a horrible flirting disaster who broke girls’ hearts left and right— in other words; he was worse than Sirius Black when it came to actual solid relationships.

Diggory was in the hospital wing for the entire day, Eden’s parting gift to him was a broken nose and a lost tooth. No one took Eden Blackthorne lightly, ever again, because though while she appeared fragile, her curled fists of slender pianist fingers had beat Amos’ consciousness into dust before he even hit the ground.

She earned detention that day with the four boys; it was probably the most rebellious she has been, and the boys commended her for it.

❊❊❊❊

The Marauders learned how to do the Patronus spell, way before the other students and that was how they developed their new names; Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs.

Eclipse, well, she only smiled at her good friends and said,” All in due time, darlings. All in due time.”

❊❊❊❊

1 November 1974

Sirius finally had the time to speak with Eden, from lessons, the girls who constantly begged for his attentions and the fact the two were separated by houses.

“Eden! Wait up!” Sirius jogged to her now still form.

She tilted her head, with the addition of other books and her new sketchbook for this year’s art, her bag gradually gotten heavier. Sirius offered to hold the shoulder bag for her, which she gladly accepted.

“Sirius, is something the matter?”

Eden’s amber eyes revealed concern, only for it to vanish when the two began to walk side by side and he had his usual charming smile.

“I just wanted to walk with you since we have the same lessons until noon.”

She hummed thoughtfully. A short silence had ensued between the two, but when Sirius turned to her to talk; he was interrupted. Eden sighed before she confessed her worries.

“Eclipse tells me of what your pranks have evolved to…”

His smile remains on his face, running his still growing hair with his fingers, “It’s not that bad, Eden, and if it was; we wouldn’t involve your sister so carelessly.”

Eden’s eyes flashed, a dangerous shade that nearly stopped Sirius in his place. “And what about you? Hmm? Marlene, Dorcus, Parkinson, Rowen Wither’s sister, that sweetheart of a Hufflepuff, that poor Ravenclaw girl, even the Slytherin…”

She continued on with the most recent names of the girls he had either dated or shagged. Sirius’ smile was beginning to fall. He knew where this was going.

 “And if I wanted to be with your sister?” He picked the worst choice of words to speak with Eden, ever since the first time he has met the Blackthornes.

The look Eden Blackthorne shot had chills crawling on his back. It also had been given the promise of agonizing death, which would forever be burned in his mind’s eye.

“Choose your next words carefully, Black…”

The low tones to her lovely voice and her calling him by his family name had Sirius flinching. It was clear to everyone in Hogwarts, mess with one Blackthorne and the other one would be the one that murders you; socially, physically or mentally. Amos was just the fine example of the physical damage.

He opted to not say anything.

When Eclipse had been informed by Eden, Eclipse went to lengths to avoid all but Remus.

“You really had to say something that would piss off Eden Blackthorne, huh, Padfoot,” James was moaning and groaning.

It being more about his unfinished homework assignments that Eclipse usually helped James with. But now with her distancing herself from them, for the while, it left three Marauders in despair.

“Shove it, Prongs.” Sirius was the moodiest.

Eden’s glare had frightened him; he regretted it instantly and she wouldn’t allow him to take it back.

Remus snickered,” Sirius just hasn’t learned on how to talk like a civil person or hold back his stupidity, especially if it were to involve Eden.”

Remus dodged Sirius’ smack, and the two shot at one another with comebacks.

❊❊❊❊

3 November 1974

Remus scolded Sirius,” You were the one to piss Eden off, so you are going to be the one to make amends with her.”

It was noticeable, though Eclipse would still talk to Remus on occasion, Eden wouldn’t even so much as breathe in the Marauders’ direction. It was the first time the Marauders and the twins haven't been together since second year and it was practically destroying their entire foundation of friendship.

Thus, it began, as Sirius had spent all of Transfiguration to regain Eden’s attention. He had small birds of parchment to fly to Eden while McGonagall was looking the other way. Eden shot them down with nonverbal magic. The last attempt had not only caught Eden’s but also McGonagall’s attention.

The professor slowly approached the now fifteen year old Black, and stopped in her tracks by his desk.

“I assume you realize this kind of idiocy will not be tolerated in my class, Mr. Black.” She lifted an eyebrow into a perfect arch.

Sirius couldn’t help himself,” Is there another type of idiocy that you would be more comfortable with, Professor?”

Eclipse snorted behind her hand, luckily, McGonagall was too focused on Sirius.

The professor’s second eyebrow arched up, her eyes began to burn with the irritation that could only develop from Sirius Black’s backtalk. “My office, after this lesson is over, Mr. Black.”

She returns to teaching the class. Eclipse who sat a table away from him, laid her head on her open book. She was snorting to herself and confusing her desk partner at the same time. Eden, who was sitting a far bit away from her sister and the Marauders, was looking at Sirius with a frown and turned her head away from him to return to writing her notes. Sirius simply smiled, he was proud of himself and it was one step closer to earning Eden’s forgiveness.

When the class ended, the Marauders winked at Sirius, Eclipse too, but Eden didn’t look into his direction again. His plan was still a work of process, he begrudgingly paced into McGonagall’s office.

The older witch didn’t look up, from the collection of homework gathered from all her classes, as she dealt out his punishment for disrupting her lesson with his shenanigans. “Detention on Friday, Black.”

Sirius couldn’t help but smile, mischief burning in his eyes,” Right you are, Professor. You look lovely today, if I may say so.”

“Out of my office, Black.”

McGonagall already knew what this was about, but it didn't mean she was going to go soft on the boy who was beginning to feel something more for Eden.

Sirius looked to the door, Eclipse was easily spotted and she was talking to her sister.

Sirius walks out from the office, with another smile on his face,” If you insist, _Minnie_.”

He saunters over to the twins.

Eden forgave Sirius, after she beat him in a dueling match for DADA, but regretted it instantly when he had been able to convince her to sit at the Gryffindor table with the rest of the Marauders, Lily and her twin. Though while the prospect of seeing Lily and Eclipse was a happy one, it was upsetting when some Gryffindors looked at her strangely. No one said anything but it was clear; it was unusual to have the houses mixing while they were eating.

They should change that…

❊❊❊❊

The first time the four Marauders, including unofficial Marauder Eclipse, ever pranked anyone as a whole, it was an exploding stink bomb. In the Slytherin Common Room, just a few hours after dinner and curfew began.

Eden just so happened to be wandering about the hallways and corridors. It was another restless night for her, with her dreams and herself, she would end up wandering anywhere until she felt she could fall back to sleep.

When it happened, she was passing the hall that would have led her to the Slytherin dorms but she was only wandering, with no destination in mind at all.

The first thing Eden notices is the faint smell of something terrible. Then, something had imploded with a muffled explosion. She jumped back, in surprise, and watches the hallway with her curiosity.

Afterwards, screams were heard from down the Slytherin hallway. Slytherins began to flee from their own Common Room. What in the world was going on there?

Eden began to plan to go and investigate. That is until Eden felt a hand grip upon her own, Sirius Black had a smile matching Eclipse’s and he tugged Eden along with the rest of the Marauders.

“First rule as a Marauder: when something explodes, keep walking.”

James had given his signature smirk as he and Remus were ahead of the rest, Peter following after the two with a cheeky smile and excitement glowing in his eyes. Eden simply looked amused, shaking her head and she and her sister kept up with them.

Sirius didn’t tell Eden that he had liked the way they held hands.


	9. The Fifth Marauder

_she had magic in her eyes_

_even the stars envied_

4th year

1 December 1974

“Maybe the wolf is in love with the moon, and each month it cries for a love it will never reach…”

Eclipse had the ironic assignment for poetry in her astronomy class, she has been struggling with it ever since the teacher had assigned it.

Eden, was writing her own essay for divination, as she was sitting with the Marauders and Eclipse in the Gryffindor Common Room. No one made a single complaint about the Ravenclaw in the midst of Gryffindors, surprisingly.

Remus and Eden shared a look as her twin was reading out some of her pieces, the two smiling at each other with their secrecy. Eclipse was close to ripping her parchment filled with her words yet kept going.

“Tell the story, of how the sun, loved the moon so much; he died every night, to let her breathe. Well, I’ll tell you child of the cosmos… No scratch that out…”

She had waved her hand over the parchment to erase the words.

James groaned, his Transfiguration homework was a pain. But after Eclipse had let slip that Lily was interested in dating nowadays, he was incredibly motivated to do his homework and somehow charm Lily into giving him a chance at a date. Sirius wasn’t bothering with his Care of Magical Creatures homework but seemed to take it upon himself that he laid his head on Eden’s lap to occupy himself. Sirius was waving his wand about as practice for some spells, nonverbally.

“And you were just like the moon, so lonely, so full of imperfections, but like the moon, you shined in times of darkness… If you are quiet enough, sometimes you will one day hear that instead of the wolves howling for the moon, it is the moon howling for the wolves…”

Eden didn’t notice the way Sirius’ eyes that lit up when her piano nimble fingers had ran themselves through his hair. He had been growing it out, ever since the day he practically fainted with pleasure from the way Eden had tousled his hair for the very first time.

“Oh, darling, my star-crossed love, we spent so much time staring into the darkness. That we forget that all that shines above us also shines within us. Until we have seen one another’s darkness, we don’t really know who we are. Until we have forgiven each other’s darkness, we don’t really know what love is…”

❊❊❊❊

Sirius sighed, it has been two long weeks since Eden left to return to the Ravenclaws, and she was sick. The winter cold was what Eclipse had said. And now James was working on the map, nonstop. It has _been days_.

“What if Snivellus becomes a professor and gets ahold of it?”

James has been asking all sorts of questions.

“What if someone gives it to my future children?”

Remus was snoring, he had fallen into a deep slumber, cuddled in three layers worth of blankets. He was known to be sensitive to the cold.

“What if You-Know-Who finds it on the third Wednesday of a month during a thunderstorm and it is a leap year?” James jokingly asked to grab Sirius’ attention back.

Peter had slipped away to grab some more snacks for the lot of them.

Sirius snapped, running his hands through his tangled and knotted hair,” For the love of all that is holy, James, we have been up for _days_.”

Sirius flinched when he pulled at some of the knots, he wished Eden was here to brush through it but he resorted to simply tying it up into a tight bun. James made a noise between a yawn and snort.

“Okay, okay, but what about the names? What should we use to show that they are there?”

Sirius huffed out and toyed with some escaped locks as he thought.

Eclipse was about ready to hex Potter for keeping her up with his incessant questioning. Lily had been complaining about hearing the boys from upstairs in their dorm, as well. But when the wolf eyed candidate-Marauder waltzed down to the three huddled around the fireplace. She found two who were still awake and spotting the supposed master map of all of wizarding kind, her homicidal urge vanished.

“How about footprints?” She wistfully hums, hugging her waist with one arm and rubbing her chin as she was becoming more thoughtful of the map’s progress.

“That is bloody brilliant, Sirius!”

But it takes a few moments for the two boys to register that it wasn’t Sirius’ voice.

“ _Bloody_ hell _!_ ” James jumped, disturbing Remus’ slumber and Sirius having whispered all the curse words he could manage out in his fear.

Eclipse cackled, patting the two boys on their shoulders and went back upstairs to return to her dreamland.

❊❊❊❊

“Hey, Blackthorne~”

Eclipse looked up from her nearly finished Defense against the Dark Arts homework. Her eyebrow lifting at the sight of the Marauders. James and Sirius practically shared the same glow of mischief whilst Remus grinned and Peter waved awkwardly to Eclipse.

When they return to the Common Room, they sit on the couch or on the carpeted floor area in front of the couch and fireplace. James sits next to her, Sirius taking her other side, Remus sitting on the couch chair and Peter sitting in front of them.

“How do you feel about becoming an official Marauder, Eclipse?”

Eclipse nearly chokes on her pastry.

She stares at them, to make them uncomfortable, so she can really figure out what this was about. “Is… Are you attempting to prank me, or something?”

She suspiciously looked at each and every one of the four boys.

They weren’t. The looks on their faces were full of determination.

“And what do I owe the pleasure of having finally gained my Marauder title?” She smiles as the boys smile at her.

“That hair dye potion you did on Parkinson, and of course those pranks you did on us back in third year. Remus was told by Eden, well the last prank that is.”

She coughs and bites into her pastry,” Well, you deserved it, you know… Lily really cares about Severus, he is her childhood friend after all…”

James groaned, Sirius scowled as he crossed his arms.

“She’s right, _you know_. James is just jealous about Snape,” Remus opened his book, a book from Eden as a birthday present.

“Never mind Snivellus. So, Blackthorne, you ready to become a Marauder?” James smiled, pushing his glasses back on top of his nose bridge.

She sighed, nodded as her agreement,” I mean, how bad could it be? Eden won’t mind as much as Lily would.”

Sirius clapped his hands together,” Perfect! Now, repeat after me...”

On that lovely day, she became the Fifth Marauder and endured the eternity worth of pain that is James Potter and his questions of ‘what ifs’ with the Map.

❊❊❊❊

All throughout the next months of fourth year, until the end of the year, the four out of five Marauders were attempting to keep the mandrake leaves in their mouths; as it was instructed by McGonagall’s ‘of course, I’m not supposed to be telling you this or that’ restricted book on Animagi.

The first time they put a mandrake in their mouths, they spit it out from the _awful_ taste. Remus had laughed at their disgusted expressions.

Prepared for the second time, they had been on a good streak for a _single_ day— the first to swallow it was Peter. He nearly choked on it when he tried to take a deep breath, which had James and Sirius panic and spat theirs out as they were trying to get him to drink some water.

Water only made the taste of the mandrake leaf _worse_.

Eclipse learned that she shouldn’t whistle, especially when in the middle of Defense against the Dark Arts lessons. No one speaks of the time when Eclipse whistled with a mandrake leaf on her tongue and it flew into the face of their DADA professor. And to top it all off, it stuck to the professor’s nose effortlessly.

Sirius choked on his third leaf that day from laughing so hard, then promptly getting detention for his ‘rude behaviour’. Of course, Sirius sometimes like to tease Eclipse about that _one time_  in DADA; Eclipse threatened to hex him to shut him up.

Whenever someone said something that Sirius didn’t agree to or like, he spat the dozens of leaves and blasted through into their faces and hair. Eclipse sometimes tagged along so no one would get suspicious on as to why Sirius Black had leaves in his mouth.

Eden made a look of disgust when the one time Sirius had sneezed. And out came a leaf from his mouth, right in front of her. She stopped speaking to him in fear of his leaf spitting becoming a habit with her around. Sirius had to be comforted by Eclipse on the first day of Eden’s silent treatment towards him.

And Eclipse’s personal favorite was when James was actually chewing on the leaf.

Sirius asking,” Gross, what is _wrong_ with you?”

James simply shrugged and had told his best mate that it tasted good, after a while. But in all reality, James had actually liked chewing on the leaf time to time.

Sirius had attempted to chew it and would regret it for life. The boys had playfully wrestled because,” Damnit, Potter, you are the worst, mate.”

It took only Eden coming around the corner to stop them from fighting— one reason being that she disliked fighting, even though she had her own record of one punching people. She would have personally fought the two boys to the death, if she needed to, and they knew she _could_.

The second being Sirius Black left his best mate and was seen running after Eden Blackthorne in a flash.


	10. Valentine

4th year

15 February 1975

            This year’s Valentine’s Day had been hectic. Dumbledore had even went as far as to banning the gifting of anything and everything until after the classes were over with and people were allowed to do so in the houses’ Common Rooms before curfew was over. When the Marauders smuggled Eden and Eclipse into their dorm room, they were all just scarfing down on the chocolates that they collected.

            Sirius had been given the most chocolates, sharing with Remus. Not surprising at all, from all houses and the friends she had gained, Eden had the second most. James wasn’t even close, but was still third and Eclipse fourth. Peter had went to make some more sweets for his friends, and returned with chocolate muffins that he knew were Eden’s favourite.

            Eden and Remus sat on his bed, leaning on each other as they melted from the tasty goodness that is chocolate. Sirius frowned at the way the two seemed so much closer than Eden was with the rest of the male Marauders.

            “I told Mrs. Sprout I was sorry so many times. I still feel that she is mad at me though…”

Eden pouted, because the older Blackthorne was aiming to be a healer. Herbology, Charms, DADA, and Transfiguration was required to be passed with either outstanding or exceeding expectations, along with the NEWTs.

Eden was aiming for Outstanding. It was because of her strong desire to become a healer, she wouldn’t take anyone’s word that she would be a _fine_ healer and that she would be _fine_ with just ‘exceeding expectations’ for her grades and that she ‘still had time to decide what her future would be’.

            Eden had been so busy with her other assignments, she had nearly forgotten about the essay Sprout had assigned and finished it an hour later. Remus gently assured her that no one could truly dislike Eden, in his usual polite way.

            Eclipse wickedly smiled at Eden,” You’re doing fine, besides you’re already top of the classes with Remus. You absolute nerds.”

She smiled more when Eden glared at her sister playfully.

            Sirius chomped down on his chocolates, occasionally glancing over to Eden.

James however had something to say,” You’d think by now that Evans would be in love with me.” James had sullenly been eating his chocolates, none given by Lily— hell, the twins received chocolates from Lily.

            Eclipse had given Lily’s chocolate to James and he accepted it like it was the Holy Grail of all chocolates. Eden ate hers, smiling at James like the devil she truly is. This is her chocolate and she wouldn’t share any of it with the others. Except maybe Remus because he was quick and had good reflexes to dodge Eden’s hands.

            “Lily will come around, James,” Eden had reassured him.

James smiled at Eden’s words, continuing to gobble up his chocolates. Everyone listened to Eden’s words of wisdom and advice because she was practically all knowing, she was the best in divination of all years and she was only a fourth year.

            “Don’t play cupid, Eden.”

Eclipse snorted at Remus’ words. “More like don’t give hope where there is none, Eden,” Eclipse retorted.

            And that was how the night after Valentine’s Day had been. However, Sirius’ mood increased significantly after Eden had given her own homemade chocolate to him. His heart never beat as hard as it did during the late night hour with Eden smiling at him and giving him chocolates.

❊❊❊❊

          Sirius had been dating and dumping girls faster than ever. No matter what, he just couldn’t keep to one girl, he lost interest faster and it seemed that his mood only darkened more when he couldn’t stand the new one’s personality.

            Eclipse had her legs over Remus’ own, stretching them out fully, the two had been watching Sirius grumble to himself all day.

Eclipse had enough of it,” You know, Sirius… With all the girls you’ve been shagging, you should really learn on how to settle. It you keep it up, I don’t think my sister would want to be with you.”

Sirius looked up, faster than humanely possible, he could have permanently cracked his neck that way.

            “What are you talking about, Eclipse? What about Eden?” James sat next to his best mate and added,” Mate, you look ghastly and maybe you should calm down.”

            Eclipse simply leaned onto the arm of the couch and curled her legs atop of Remus’ thighs with careful precision. “I’m just saying, you need to relax and get yourself together. You’re not only hurting these girls, you’re also hurting yourself.”

❊❊❊❊

            Eden had been smuggled into the Gryffindor Common Room once again. Eclipse had brought up the subject of love.

“You know the only one for me is Lily,” James had said, sighing wistfully as Lily was pointedly ignoring his constant stares.

Remus had actually blushed, but shook his head. Sirius became silent.

Peter nervously wrung out his hands,” It would be nice to have someone as a significant other.”

            When Eclipse looked to her sister who was reading, as usual, she needed to pinch Eden for her attention. When Eden did not respond whatsoever, Eclipse pinched her again and again.

            “What is it, Eclipse?” Eden looked up from the book only to look back down, to finish the chapter as Eclipse had begun to ask her the great question of love.

            Eden sighed. “Eclipse. You already know…”

The twin pinched her _again_ and Eden seemed irritated and with a breath,” When I fall in love, it will only be one person, one time.”

            When Lily overheard, as she had walked over to greet her two best friends, she had swooned at Eden’s smooth words.

“Oh my, Eden, does that mean you’ll fall in with love with me and sweep me off my feet?”

Eden laughed, amber eyes lighting up in a way that only Lily could insight. She kissed Lily’s cheek and went back to reading. “Sorry, Lils, but not today.”

            Sirius snickered and then began to dramatically swoon onto James’ shoulder to gain Lily’s attention from Eden. “You’ve quite seduced me with your manly prowess, Prongs, you must ask for my hand, mate!”

James squirmed under the added weight of Sirius,” I’d rather have Lily, oh Lily, still the light of my life, I see!”

Lily sighed before returning to a serious mood,” No thanks, you toerag.”

            Eclipse and Remus snorted while Eden ignored the ordeal in favour of her book. That is until Sirius drops onto Eden’s lap, knowing to not knock the book out of Eden’s hands and instead just being loud and obnoxious.

“You wound me, James, we talked about our engagement so long ago!!!”

Eden heavily sighed, knowing that it was easier to give into Sirius Black when he wants someone’s attention. She rubs into his scalp with her fingertips and he continues to stay with his head on her lap. He smiled at the success of gaining Eden’s attention.

When he jokes, smiles and laughs loudly with the rest of his friends, he can’t help but continue to think about the twins’ words.

❊❊❊❊

There is always a different kind of love.

And there was one when it was between the Blackthorne twins. The love a sister could only give and receive from another.

All the way back in first year, they had worried. Worried about the Forbidden Forest not being the greatest spot to allow Eden’s ‘transformations’ to occur— especially because of the protective love Eden felt for Eclipse. She didn’t want the Forbidden Forest as their spot and left in the agony of her ‘transformation’: Eclipse would be left to defend herself and Eden, if anything approached from the Forest.

Back in first year, they found the Room of Requirement. Dumbledore may or may not have hinted at it, for the two. It didn’t take them long time find it, as Eden had the bad habit of wandering the halls like a ghost when she became restless during the night time.

It was perfect. The best place. It would protect the sisters’ secrets, and when they had need of a sound proof room, the Room had changed to their wishes without hesitation.

When the moon howled, Eden was forced to howl back.

Eclipse held onto her sister’s pale and shaking hand as the two entered the Room of Requirement. As the usual routine went, the Room had given soft layers of blankets for Eden to lay on, it turned into a room that would negate any sound from escaping and it never revealed itself to those outside, even if the coincidence of it being needed had arose.

Eden laid her own head on Eclipse’s lap after laying herself down on the blankets and the two waited. Sometimes they would speak to each other, about their day and what the others had done. Sometimes they wouldn’t speak to each other, they would simply stare at one another in their silence.

It didn’t take long, for the moon was ravenous and howled more for the transformation to begin. But the difference between Remus Lupin and Eden Blackthorne was that Eden never fully transformed into the wolf.

Eden’s body took to the painful spasms immediately. Whereas Remus would write in pain in the Shrieking Shack and the three male Marauders trying to keep him down in their very human bodies because they refused to leave him to the transformation alone. Eclipse didn’t fight with her fellow Marauders on helping Remus for his time of month. Especially when she and Remus would share the look that just screamed of Eden needing help as well.

Eden didn’t even whimper. She clawed at her clothes, at the blankets, to keep herself still. Eclipse whispered soothing spells and songs to her sister. Eclipse kept herself from crying as the pain worsened for Eden.

James and Sirius yelled at Remus to calm down, and Peter was shaking but he too aided in the attempt to keep Remus down. Remus’ skin was already turning ashen grey.

Eden’s bones began to pop. Outwards or inwards. Began to crack and groan in resistance but never reshaped themselves into something new. She didn’t dare fling herself or allow herself to move while Eclipse held onto her. This is when the first scream of pain rips itself out of Eden’s throat.

Remus’ body seemed to have grown even taller, his claws had taken place of his nails. Ears pointing. His howls more wolf than man.

Eden closes her eyes, struggling to keep still as her body continues to break itself and the spasms that threatened to break her will, on pain or death.

Remus is a werewolf, his friends don’t allow him to leave the Shack and had used spells to make sure that Remus couldn’t hurt himself or them.

Eden continues on in her pain, Eclipse cries tears that only strengthen Eden’s resolve to keep still as the pain continues on. How much more pain could Eden take before she passes out and the pain of the transformation ends?

The sisters would never know because if Eden had; she might as well already be dead.

Sisters have a love that they can only give and receive to one another. Eden and Eclipse would always endure, because they must. And this night was one of the more peaceful nights, Eden hadn’t injured her twin sister whilst her pain escalated.


	11. Mudblood

_i will be wild. i will be brutal._

_i will encircle and conquer you._

_i will be more powerful than your boats_

_and your swords and your blood lust._

_i will be inevitable._

5th year

25 October 1975

“Let him _down!_ Oh, Severus!”

Lily’s hands were attempting to reach for the boy who had been her good friend since her childhood. Eden was scowling at James and Sirius, with absolute disappointment towards the two, whilst Eclipse was struggling against Remus. When Eclipse had heard Lily’s cry for help, she was faster than ever and when she had seen Lily nearing to tears over the airborne Severus. Well, simply put; the younger Blackthorne was willing to commit murder.

James had blanched at the sight of Lily, but he didn’t stop,” But he’s having fun, aren’t you, Snivellus?”

Eden scowled even more, making everyone nervous especially with her amber eyes so sharp and chilling.

But what had stopped this event from continuing was when Severus Snape had insulted Lily Evans, on this sunny day of October. “Don’t touch me, or help me, you filthy Mudblood!”

He was wiggling around, swinging his arms around whilst his face was reddening to a slight purple, he didn’t and couldn’t stop his words.

Lily gasped, her eyes showing the absolute betrayal that only Severus could commit towards her. Tears finally forming, Lily went running off; people moved out of her way.

Everyone who was laughing before had stopped, the derogatory word having silenced the entire crowd. James Potter let Snivellus fall to the ground and began to throw all the hexes, he and Sirius Black knew, at him. Remus had let go of Eclipse, a look of disappointed disgust towards Snape on his kind, scarred face.

Eden had tolerated Severus, because he had generally cared for Lily and he had been helping Lily and the sisters with Potions. Eden, presently, looked scandalized, before narrowing her more animal-like eyes down upon Severus.

“How dare you!”

She and her twin sister run off to find Lily Evans.

Eden found Lily. Eclipse having gone another way just in case that Lily wasn’t found on this end. When the elder Blackthorne approached the hiccupping redhead, she sighs as she softens her hardened eyes and curled fists. An insult like that bringing down Lily Evans was a sight that Eden absolutely loathed.

Eden simply sat down next to Lily but she had wrapped her pale arm around the crying redhead.

“Why would he say that, call me that? Didn’t he say that _that_ word was for uncultured people?” Lily was reduced to weeping eyes and choking hiccups with her horrid sobs.

Lily stopped for a moment, feeling Eden tightening the arm around her waist whilst pulling her closer to Eden’s very warm body. Eden had felt something in her chest. It was the need to protect her dear friend, from everything. From persistent boys vying for the attention and love of Lily to insults and other means of hurting her best friend, all of it, she would protect Lily. But she could only do so much, she knew that.

Eclipse had rounded the corner but stopped there. Her eyes widening as she watched Lily Evans cry into the shoulder of Eden Blackthorne. A scorching look in Eden’s amber eyes was what really had stopped Eclipse. Never in her life had she seen her older sister look that way. Lily Evans brought a sleeping beast alive and it was roaring now within Eden.

❊❊❊❊

James Potter and Sirius Black approached the three girls who were studying together, at the Gryffindor table, despite that Eden Blackthorne was a Ravenclaw and not a Gryffindor. Eden hadn’t looked up from her book, but she pointed her beautiful rosewood and phoenix core wand at the two boys.

“State your business and begone.” Her voice cold as ice, her eyes had a fire that burned fiercely.

Lily had cried herself to sleep the night before, her eyes still rimmed with a red pink. Severus Snape failing as he was attempting to apologize for the last week but the day before, Lily had called him an insolent toe rag who didn’t deserve her forgiveness. He resorted to agonizing and watching Lily constantly from a distance.

“We, we just wanted to apologize about what we did, Lily.”

James had the most sorrowful look, Lily probably would have forgiven him. However, Eden was the only one with a level head and all the choices made; were by her leave.

“Yeah, we didn’t mean to take it that far. I’m sorry, Evans.” Sirius looked like a kicked puppy once more.

“Is that all, Potter, Black?” Eden whispered in her usual tone.

The two boys looked to one another, then to Eden who coolly watched them, and back to each other. The two nodded but looked to Evans for confirmation. Lily looked to Eden, the Blackthorne scowled but when she received a pointed look by her twin she nodded to the boys.

“Apology accepted, for now.”

The boys moved to sit somewhere else, until Eden stopped them,” Did the potions that Remus received work?”

The two looked absolutely shocked, how had Eden of all people knew?

James nodded, and Eden seemed pleased while Sirius looked like he was near to exploding with questions.

“Alright.” She dismissed them.

❊❊❊❊

“How did she found out, Remus?!”

Sirius was running his hands through his hair in a frustrated matter, Sirius was pacing through the entire discussion.

Remus simply sighed, he knew he couldn’t keep Eden’s help on the down low, not this time. “I couldn’t help it. And what she said was true, we were able to make the potion with our combined genius when she had been able to retrieve the ingredients easily. She’s been helping me since a little before first year had ended. We made it over the summer and have been since then.”

“Well, doesn’t this mean that this is okay? I mean, she’s been nice enough to help Remus…” Peter shyly implored.

“No, not really, Pete.” James commenced his own pacing. “We have no leverage. What if she doesn’t want to keep your secret anymore, Moony? We have nothing on her… And just because her sister is one us, doesn't mean it’s a strong way to keep her on a leash.”

Remus snapped,” She will! Because Blackthornes are the only reason that werewolves haven’t given up hope on the wizarding world!”

The three boys stopped. James’ rug-fraying with his shuffling. Sirius with his shaking hands and pushed back locks. Peter, for once, stopped fidgeting with his hands.

“What?” James had an incredulous look on his face, which Sirius mirrored. Remus sighed, leaning on his knees with his elbows as he went to rub his face in agitation.

“For generations… The Blackthornes have kept werewolves, taken care of them, even gave them a home in the forest near their home mansion. Eden told me.”

Remus opened his eyes to see his friends, he was surprised that they all seemed to have relaxed.

“So… is she really that trustworthy, Moony?”

The named boy nodded, a smile on his face. The three male Marauders accepted her fully right then and there.

❊❊❊❊

“What in the bloody _hell_ are you lot doing here?!”

Eclipse hissed under her breath, pointing a Lumos lit wand of rowan wood, with cherry blossoms carved along its length and a phoenix feather as its heart, a twin to Eden’s own. The four boys had snuck up on the twin Blackthornes in the middle of the night, in the Potions laboratory.

Eden had never looked so angry, as she was now. She had nearly hexed James, if she hadn’t recognized his voice. The boys surrendered.

Sirius countering, smiling cheekily,” The real question is what are you two doing here?”

Eden simply continued working on her potion, Remus seemed to have recognized it and began to help her with it.

“Wolfsbane.” Eden quietly replied,

Eclipse glared at Sirius and James. But when the two smiled at their fellow Marauder cheekily, she sighed and gave up.

The younger twin turned back to her own potion,” Dye potion for _Snape_ , Lily is probably over it. But _I_ am not. Permanent pink hair for the rest of the year, for that sniveling little weasel.”

“We are offended, Eclipse. You doing a prank, _without_ the rest of us.” Sirius had jokingly teased.

No one said anything after that, they had all went to work. Peter gathered the ingredients needed, Remus and Eden worked so easily with one another, and the rest worked on the dye potion for Snape.


	12. Closer

_magic tumbled from her pretty lips_

_and when she spoke the language of the universe_

_—the stars sighed in unison_

_—michael faudet_

5th year

1 November 1975

“Alright, Evans?”

Fifteen year old James Potter was confidently smirking at Lily Evans. The named redhead scoffed at him and ordered him to continue on with the instructions for their potion. Lily was irascible at this point. Though while she laughed at Severus’ head of now hot pink hair at breakfast, she was mostly worried for Eden.

Sirius was simply groaning and moaning about nonsense as Eclipse easily continued to add the listed ingredients to their own potion. Eden was nowhere to be seen, much like Remus. However, Eden wasn’t in the hospital wing like Remus, apparently she was staying in her dorm room to sleep through the fever she’d caught from the November cold.

When Sirius learned of it, he nearly run himself through the Ravenclaw knocker door just to see her, it took the remaining four Marauders to keep him from doing so. The one who had convinced Sirius to stop his nonsense was Pandora Llewellyn, one of Eden’s friends and roommate, the girl who was doe-eyed and soft-spoken informed. She had a strange affixation on the science of the muggle world.

“She’s doing just fine, needs some rest is all. Her spirit is strong, did you know that?”

That was right before she flounced away from the Ravenclaw tower to go and meet with Xenophilius Lovegood.

Just because Sirius stopped didn’t mean that he couldn’t complain to everyone else.

❊❊❊❊

When Eden returned, she was so pale that it convinced everyone that she was still sick. Whenever someone asked, Eclipse informed them that the cold and Eden doesn’t mix well; it was something Eden inherited, it runs through the family. Remus became _very_ protective over her and it prompted the rest of the Marauders to deflect anyone’s questions away from her.

“What do you mean? She looks fine.” Peter nonchalantly said, even when he looked straight at Eden. He even winked at Eden, and she winked right back.

“She fought a hundred dementors.” James had smiled as though he was reliving the epicness of the fight. Eclipse high fived James, then they would discuss all the high points of said fight.

“She fell into the Lake and swam with the mermaids.” Remus didn’t even look up from his book that he was reading, a book that Eden herself had suggested for him to read. He was in love with it and couldn’t stop himself from reading chapters during his lessons.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Sirius looked worried only after the people left him but he had his charming smile on his face to convince everyone. Sometimes, though, people would see him gazing at her like a lovesick puppy.

“Who the hell is Eden Blackthorne?” Eclipse Blackthorne snorted haughtily at everyone’s face when they had actually thought she didn’t even know her own twin sister. But when everyone and the rest of the Marauders looked away; she shared her look of fearful worry with said twin sister.

By the end, people stopped asking, especially when Eden seemed to have enough of all the nonsense they were creating.

“I’m fine. Just a little sick is all. Everyone gets sick, muggles and wizards. It is a natural part of life.”

❊❊❊❊

2 November 1975

“Sirius…”

Eden had whispered, her voice muffled by his red and gold winter scarf that he had wound around her neck. He didn’t want her to catch _another_ cold from the freezing weather and after hearing her voice, it caught his undivided attention.

“Yes, Eden, my love?”

He smiled as usual but it fell from his handsome face when her amber eyes were not looking at him but at his younger brother who had become Slytherin’s Seeker. Why look at Regulus when she could be looking at him?

“Don’t you at least want to congratulate Regulus?”

She finally looked at him, into his vivid gray eyes. He shook his head, earning a frown and look of judgment from her.

“Fine, but if you won’t; I will.” She ran her fingers through her night-black hair and walked away from him and the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

He was shocked, had he heard her correctly? When did Eden Blackthorne suddenly become a part of Regulus Black’s life? Sirius watched Eden go across the field to the Slytherin team. Some of the Gryffindors whispered about Eden, some were curious on why she was approaching the Slytherins and others saying she was a little looney— which prompted Sirius and the other Marauders to yell at the team to shut up. Eclipse glared at everyone on her team as James did.

Because Eden had befriended a good amount of Slytherins in the past, none of them made a move against her, they even parted slightly to reveal a giddy Regulus.

“Congratulations, Regulus.”

The young Seeker looked to her in shock as she approached, kind eyes and a tender smile on her lips.

“T-thanks.”

She nodded, and went to pat his shoulder and for some reason, that small pat made him feel even better about himself. And even over the years, he still could not quite shake the feeling of knowing her, of thinking of her as more than just a friend and fellow witch.

“My sister made the team and look at you: you did too.”

The old and the new Slytherin Quidditch players were genuinely surprised to see Eden Blackthorne being so supportive towards Regulus Black.

Regulus gained some courage before he had asked the inevitable,” Did my brother set you up for this?”

He frowned as he looked into Gryffindor’s Quidditch team, he jumped at the sound of Eden’s laugh.

“No, it is _because_ he didn’t come himself. Older siblings are supposed to be there for their younger siblings. Since Sirius isn’t, I’ll take his place for now, if that is alright with you.”

She made it sound like as though he wouldn’t refuse it at all, and he didn’t, he even liked the idea of it. An older _sister_. Her smile and her amber eyes seemed to make everything brighter, it gave Regulus a feeling of warmth and a fuzziness in his chest, because that is what an older sibling should be like. And that old feeling of knowing her, he could now place it. A new sense of knowing and belonging washes over him.

He smiled. “Thank you, Eden.”

❊❊❊❊

“ _Sirius Orion Black_ , you better get your arse in there and comfort your little brother, or so _help_ me.”

Those words were what started this strange pain that began to assault him and spread throughout Regulus’ body, those words brought him back into a world of consciousness.

There was more shouting between the two, obviously Sirius and Eden were arguing, until finally silence. Regulus couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes when he heard a pair of footsteps, one was light and the other was heavier. Regulus knew that Sirius was just going to bring some sort of punchline. And he wasn’t impressed as he heard Sirius’ intake of breath.

“The great and mighty Regulus Arcturus Black!”

Sirius began. Eden’s heavy sigh followed after the first sentence that came from Sirius’ mouth. Regulus’ pain spread again, he groaned.

“Youngest to the noble and most ancient House of Black! One of the ancient Sacred Twenty-Eight!”

Regulus’ senses began to return to him, an awful and vile stench of something burnt entered his nostrils. He finally opened his eyes, fluttering.

“ _Sirius_.” Eden scolded, but amusement had shown in her eyes.

Sirius smiled at her with his usual charm, and Regulus’ heart fluttered wildly when Sirius then turned to him with a grin on his face.

“Named after a celestial being,” Sirius boomed once more,” Sorted into the esteemed house of Slytherin. His power knows no bounds!”

Sirius brought his hands up in the air as though the announcement was all holy.

Regulus tried to sit up and push at Sirius, but he was too weak and the look Eden gave him told him to stay in a lying position.

“He bravely steps onto the Quidditch Pitch,” Sirius thunders. “The crowd erupts from his sheer awesomeness. He mounts his broom and takes off. The wind tousles his not-as-majestic-as-mine hair. His fans begun to cheer. Screaming. Ecstatic! He throws his head back and lets out a battle-cry:’ Go, Slytherin!’”

Eden looks like she was ready to hit Sirius in the back of his head, Regulus looked to her with encouragement.

Sirius falls silent, leans in towards his baby brother, and with all the _seriousness_ he could muster; he finishes,” And then, five seconds later… He gets promptly hit with a Bludger.”

Eden squawked with all the pent up laughter she held in, earning Sirius’ own laughter.

“Sod off.” Regulus had croaked out.

Eden sits herself beside Regulus’ shoulder and gently brushes through his hair with her fingers as Sirius manages a weak but sincere smile.

“How are you feeling?” He teased his voice slightly but the concern laced with his joking tone was noticeable.

Regulus snorted as best as he could without feeling like a hippogriff wasn’t sitting on his chest,” How do you think?”

The two kept silent, waiting for Regulus next words.

“I can’t believe this… I lost, and on my first game.” Regulus sighed with disappointment.

Sirius simply smiled and sat on the bed beside Eden,” You didn’t, your lot asked for a rematch. After that, all it took was Eden’s beautiful and glaring eyes to get the rest of Gryffindor’s team to agree.”

Eden looked borderline angry, but at the same time, she had chortled at Sirius’ words.

Regulus was surprised. Eden had rumors circling since the day she had one-punched Amos Diggory but Regulus had only ever seen her good side since his beginning year when he had first met her and all the times they had met in the library throughout the last few years.

“Thank, thanks…”

Sirius smiled and Eden babied the younger Black with light kisses on his forehead and cheeks, Regulus groaned but he secretly enjoyed the sisterly affection she gave. Sirius was about to complain to Eden, he wanted her kisses as well.

“Was Potter the one who caught me?” Regulus had stopped the two before they could begin another bickering contest, he didn’t want to hear them up close.

Sirius smiled and nodded,” Refused to catch the snitch when he saw you falling, swooped in and saved you.”

He rounded his arm around Eden’s waist, trying to kiss at Eden’s cheek and she rejected him with a reprimanding glare.

“Sirius, you seem to have forgotten that we are here for your brother, not for you to kiss me.” She flicked his forehead as a punishment.

“Tell him I said thanks.” Regulus whispered, as he was unnerved with watching the two’s open, playful displays of affection and rejection. Like a dog and cat trying to play together.

A large bang of the doors opening and footsteps coming towards the three on the bed was heard. Good god, Regulus just wants this day to be over already.

The first to appear from around the curtain had surprised Regulus, he never really got around to speaking to Eclipse Blackthorne— they would only greet one another with smiles from across the room when their eyes would meet.

“Tell him yourself,” Eclipse had wickedly smiled and sat herself onto the bedside table with a lollipop in her mouth.

“You’re welcome.”

James Potter smiled as he had appeared with Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew; they had a mass of sweets floating after them. With a swish and tap of the three’s wands, the sweets rained down upon Regulus. Sirius and Eden had different reactions.

“I only asked you to run down and buy some chocolate frogs!” Sirius exclaimed as Eden cheerfully grabbed a chocolate bar from the pile that was on top of Regulus.

“We did,” James had smirked,” And then we bought some Bertie Botts, some Cauldron Cakes, some Pumpkin Pasties, some Ice Mice, some Sugar Quills…”

The list went on, the five Marauders and Eden had the front row seats to watching as Regulus Black conjured a face-splitting smile, from one ear to the other.

He picked up a chocolate frog but being too weak from the bludger to his stomach, he couldn’t get it to open.

Sirius chuckles and continued on in his booming voice,” And so, the great and mighty Regulus Arcturus Black, youngest son of the noble and most ancient House of Black, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, finally meets his match… a chocolate frog!!!”

Flinging his arms into the air, one of them from Eden’s waist, he had begun to shake his hands in the air. This had the rest of the Marauders imitating cheering crowds, cupping their mouths, starting with whispered shouts of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’. Eden has never looked so irritated, and had gently smacked Sirius on the back of his head, earning a chuckle from him.

“Sod _off_!” Regulus groaned.

But he had smiled another large smile as Eden then helped him open the chocolate frog.

Sirius however gained the advantage, and he pecked at Eden’s cheek, quickly dodging away before she could hit him again. No one commented on her blushing face.


	13. A Little Longer

_she was like the moon_

_part of her was always hidden away_

5th year

3 November 1975

Eden was sick, again.

Eclipse had been told by Madam Pomfrey that the excitement of the Quidditch match yesterday had been too much, along with the fact that Eden had been the first one that _ran_ down to get to the field to Regulus. After James had caught the fourth year Black, and landed on the bottom of the Quidditch field, Eden was there first to check Regulus with ungloved hands. She had overexerted herself along with being too sensitive to the oncoming winter cold.

This time, no one could stop Sirius Black from infiltrating the Ravenclaw tower. With a bit of his secret knack at knowing riddles, he had been allowed access by the bronze knocker on the door. It was odd to any Ravenclaw who had remained at the Common Room at this time of the morning, to see a Gryffindor who was _Sirius Black_ of _all_ people, and demanding to see Eden Blackthorne.

Pandora smuggled Sirius into the girl’s dorms and left him.

At first, Sirius had actually thought that Pandora had just left him in a random dorm for the girls; until he heard Eden’s croaking voice. “What are you doing here, Sirius?”

He whisked himself quickly to her bedside and saw that she had looked like someone had mauled her half to death, rather than her just having the stomach flu— along with a horrible headache that left ringing in her ears and a horrible pressure in the back of her cranium if she was standing or sitting up.

“Dear god, Eden, you look terrible.”

When amber eyes looked at him, not even able to muster a glare, it was obvious she was too sick to deal with someone in her condition. “Sod off, or I’ll attempt to hex you.”

She closed her eyes again to keep her eyes from burning even more.

“Do you need anything, Eden, my love?”

She opened her eyes and then gestured to her bedside table. There laid a lovingly wrapped gift, it wasn’t large and not too small. It is addressed to Sirius in Eden’s magnificent cursive.

“Take it, I won’t be able to attend your birthday party. I’m sorry, Sirius. I’m just too weak to even get up, much less get ready to a party.”

He sighed, looking pitiful, he had really wanted to have Eden at his party but he nodded with understanding. “I’ll check up on you again, after the party. I want at least one dance from you before the night is over.”

He smiled cheekily, kissing her forehead and picked up Eden’s present, delicately.

She groaned,” Don’t you dare, Black, I do not want you sick.” He ignored her words and walked out with a sad and longing smile on his face.

❊❊❊❊

This time it was Eclipse who had visited her sickly sister. The younger twin entered with the help of Pandora and a muggle-born witch who went by the name of Amira Jihn.

“Thanks,” Eclipse breathed and went to sit on Eden’s bed.

Eden’s eyes opened instantly at the presence of her twin being near.

Eclipse slipped her fingers through Eden’s and the two remained in silence. Eden whispered,” Just a little longer, I want this to last a little longer…”

Eclipse nodded, after all, it was Eden’s secret and life on the dotted line.

❊❊❊❊

Sirius was having the worst of times. Even with Eclipse and his best mates cheering him up. He just wasn’t enjoying it. It was his bloody birthday after all. He sighed, drinking another shot of firewhiskey, it burned in a good way, but he wanted the burn that lingered like a ghost on his skin.

The burn that only Eden’s amber eyes could inflict upon him, always knowing his tells and somehow already knowing his secrets, sometimes even before he knew them himself.

He had been given a lot of presents, Eden’s was still in his room. There was the other options from girls; which he outright refused. With Eden not here to complete this, it felt like this was just a waste. And god, he needed her to look at him, burning him from the inside out and still looking, like she saw it all and would only ever accept him.

“Padfoot, what’s wrong, mate?” Remus seemed amused.

James was after Lily, she was about ready to give in to cast a stinging jinx to get him to stop. Eclipse was the one interrupting the two’s matchup with laughter and whisked James away to give him a strategy plan to actually woo Lily. Peter was attempting at out drinking other people, so far he was doing alright; and then he threw up on someone’s shoes.

“Eden has been sick lately, and now she’s in her dorm room rather than being here.”

Remus sighed, shaking his head and then replied,” She’s just been feeling unwell, really now. Cold weather is her worst enemy, if anything, and it is your birthday. Stop moping.”

Sirius sighed and drank another shot down. He knew what he wanted and firewhiskey wasn’t ever going to be enough.

❊❊❊❊

He found his own way to Eden’s room again, no one was there except for her and a house elf that disapparated after being thanked by Eden. She looked much better, just a tad pale.

She smiled at Sirius,” Well, you’re back. And if you get a cold the next day: you can only blame yourself for visiting a sick person.”

He simply smiled and wiggled all ten fingers for her to come to him. She obliged, though, she looked as though a nap would do her better than some silly little dancing. Sirius had been raised by his mother, cruelly on that side note, but if there was one good thing that came out of it: it was his fancy waltz and piano playing skills.

He slowly danced, a little tipsy but not too drunk,” I don’t mind. It would give me a reason to have you take care of me, and I would get out of classes, Eden, my _heart_.”

She snorted at the new name he picked.

“Oh, dear. What would James do without his Sirius?” Eden played along, and she allowed Sirius to do a dip and resumed their slow dance.

“Who knows, anything could happen really. But I’m sure Prongs will live just fine with Moony and Wormtail for a day, without me,” he swayed and she flowed alongside him with ease.

Eden’s eyebrow raised, but she remained silent.

“Eclipse will keep ‘em in check, I reckon.” His husky voice echoed off the walls as he began the waltz again.

Sirius’ eyes lit up when he heard Eden’s laughter,” She is my sister after all… But poor Lily, James without Sirius is a James who cannot be controlled around Lily. He’s like a hyperactive child who had too much sugar.”

He barked out in his laughter.

Eden continued,” Ah, unrequited love is a pain in the rear.”

Sirius smiles, and gently twirls Eden, his hand holding hers firmly to make sure she kept her balance,” Then it is a good thing we have just declared our undying love for each other, aye?”

He had joked, of course.

Eden smiles and laughs but didn’t deny it. She didn’t notice that Sirius’ smile dropped, his eyes flashing as he began to notice something in his beating heart. Something that wasn’t there before. It had been another thing that lingered, always watching after her, always following after her down the halls and corridors. He found himself always wanting to remain by her side, always wanting to keep holding her hand and giving her his red and gold scarves to keep her warm.

But for now, this was all Sirius needed. Because there was indeed something undeniable between the two— something that connected them with unbreakable will. They seemed to connect despite their differences, and they had a relationship that consisted of a healthy mix for chaos and something else, it was something that was on the cusp of becoming more. More for holding onto her, never leaving her side.

He smiled at her, the one he held in his arms, the two only swaying side to side on the balls of their feet.

They didn’t need music at all, funny thing, that is.


	14. Attempt

_she is a wild thing_

_to have her is to have the stars_

5th year

13 January 1976

Sirius was really trying but something always came up that made him either laugh, scream, joke or had the need to speak because of his dramatic self.

‘Damn it, this is for Moony, get yourself together, Padfoot.’

It could have been all over and done with during Christmas break, but when he had begun to live with the Potters, it was hard to keep the mandrake leaf in his mouth.

Eden was assigned to sit next to him. No one has been able to get the Marauders to talk about the “vows of silence” they’ve been taking at different periods of time for the last three years. Not even Eden Blackthorne, Eclipse wouldn’t even talk to her own twin sister about it.

Charms is fairly easy. And when lunch is soon to be coming around the corner, no one took the class seriously. No pun intended with Sirius’ name.

It excluded the twin Blackthornes and Remus Lupin. It was required so that Eden could become a Healer with outstanding marks as she wanted and Eclipse simply enjoyed the class along with Transfiguration— Moony, because he was the Marauder’s loveable know-it-all who knew everything and memorizes everything he reads.

Sirius attempted to occupy himself with some notes written on his textbook, but resorted to his doodling. Soon, he was passing notes with Eden.

She looked to him with those pretty amber eyes, amused with his silent treatment and yet he was bored and in dire need of attention. She wrote back.

Charms was over, Flitwick assigned homework, and lunch was starting in a few minutes. It gave the five Marauders to converge at Sirius’ and Eden’s desk. They; being James, Sirius, Peter and Eclipse, attempted at hand signs as a form of communication. Eden shook her head in frustration and continued on with intent on finishing the assigned homework, Remus laughed in his quiet amusement.

The bell rang for the beginning of lunch.      

Eden and Sirius was about the leave. She stopped Sirius, however, and he signaled for the others to go ahead.

“Are you really going to be trying this silent game again? What’s so important about it?” Eden frowned lightly.

Though while she knew Remus’ secret, it didn’t mean that she knew the Marauder’s promise to becoming Animagi for Remus’ ‘time of the month’.

She had been so damned curious about it, and the fact that her sister even took it this adamantly drove Eden up the walls. Never have the Blackthorne twins kept secrets from each other and it really hurt the eldest sister.

Sirius had really wanted to tell her how adorable she was, nearly opening his mouth to do so. But he stopped himself when the promise for Moony crept up in his head. He sighed, blowing air from his nose, and attempted at the ‘puppy eyes’ that girls loved so much.

It didn’t, and still doesn’t, work on Eden Blackthorne.

She frowned more, earning another sigh from Sirius. “Fine, but since you’re so _serious_ about it, I’ll give this a try.”

Sirius was confused but was more surprised when the Ravenclaw gripped Sirius’ tie and yanked him down to caress his chiseled face, bringing his lips closer to her own. Very close.

It had Sirius breathless, with eyes like those anyone would swoon at the sight of Eden Blackthorne. So close.

And suddenly, not anymore. He was speechless, she let his tie go and let her hand drop back to her side. A frown upon her pretty petal lips and an apology in her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken it so far. I won’t do it again.”

He was about to reach for her, she turned on her heels while picking up and hugging her textbooks close to her, escaping around the corridor.

The sticking charm that Sirius had placed on the mandrake leaf to the roof of his mouth wore off— Sirius spat it out with a groan.

“Damn… You should have said something, Padfoot.”

When Sirius went to confess what happened, he did it so no one at even the Gryffindor’s table would hear. Prongs spat out his leaf in absolute shock, Peter nearly choked on his leaf again but had been able to keep his mouth shut. Remus had spit out his pumpkin juice.

❊❊❊❊

“What’s wrong with me, Prongs? Why doesn’t she look at me? I mean: look at me!”

The sixteen year old Black wildly gestured his hands from the Blackthorne, in front of him two desks away, to his handsome face.

James chuckled, glancing at the twins but he was busy with looking mostly at Lily. “I don’t know, mate.”

Remus chuckled from behind the two as Peter grinned cheekily.

Eclipse was the second one who managed to keep the mandrake leaf in her mouth for the last week of the month. At long last, she was free from it and she was back to talking to her sister, who was very much avoiding the male Marauders, being explicitly Sirius Black. Both Peter and Eclipse were now tasked with being able to turn into their Animagus forms.

The two sisters don’t speak of what Eden had done, because Eclipse knew that her sister would never be allowed to commit to someone who didn’t even want her, or at least that was what Eden Blackthorne had thought.

Though, it was too late. Eden had found her ‘one person’.

And he was Sirius Black.


	15. Ignorant Bliss

_you smiled at the stars_

_like they knew all your secrets_

6th year

1 September 1976

‘He could be so irritating!’ Lily groaned in frustration as she thought about him.

James Potter. He was always flirting with her, no matter how many times she told him to leave her alone. It has gotten to the point where she even cast _jinxes_ to stop him. She waited in the Great Hall, because she knew there would be a meeting for the new prefects, and she wanted to sit with Remus Lupin.

She thought of her summer and how glad she was to be back to Hogwarts. She missed the school, even though she was gone just for the summer. Her sister had avoided her and been very distant, as usual— Petunia suddenly had a boyfriend and had been bragging it to everyone who could bare to listen to her. And then, Lily’s thoughts had turned to Eden Blackthorne.

Lily didn’t notice the looks from Eden and Eclipse as they looked to one another and left the redhead to her thoughts. They had worried about Lily finding them out, but she had been so graceful and accepting about it.

She also promised to them that she wouldn’t tell anyone, Remus excluded as he already knew, and it also made sense about Remus. Though Lily only suspected, now she just knew, and she promised to not tell a soul about him either.

However, the twins had kept quiet about Eden’s now fading life, and that Eden would, sooner or later, no longer be a part of the world of the living. Lily nor Remus didn’t need to know that, not yet. But at least now, Lily understands Eden’s strange reaction to the winter weather, the winter’s full moon was always the worst, and there were days where Eden would be falling asleep in class.

❊❊❊❊

“What happens if you put a werewolf on the moon?” Sirius had wondered aloud.

Lily was nowhere to be seen along with Eden— the two being at the library for their respective projects.

“He’ll explode and die because there’s no oxygen on the moon for him to breathe.” James muttered in dark, low tones, mumbling to himself about Lily.

“I didn’t say that we’d send him up without a suit, you absolute monster.” Sirius put his hand on his heart.

Eclipse snorted, rolled her eyes, leaned over to grab Sirius’ hand and put his hand on where his heart actually would be,” Your heart is over here, Snuffles, not there.”

Remus chuckled at Eclipse’s wit.

James became such a pessimist, wanting to know why Lily Evans was avoiding James Potter as though he had become the plague.

The truth being that Lily Evans knew about both Remus and Eden. The witch had found herself stuck. She thought that the boys would figure Eden out soon, then what? Would the boys begin to ignore Eden or would they pity her? Or would they remain friends and forget about it all?

Lily knew that that last hope wouldn’t come true, there are always complications in the middle of everything. And so, she came to the conclusion of letting the boys figure it out by themselves, ignoring them in the process.

James was a wreck. He had begun to hatch plans that would gain her attention back; the kind that desperate ones would do: making her jealous with a pretend girlfriend or playing hard to get. Eden instructed him to simply continue being the persistent one, and her words of wisdom were the only barrier that kept him from doing those plans.

Sirius had suddenly switched, he had been dating less girls and shags even less. Eclipse seemed to be the only one who had noticed, not that she said anything about it.

Remus became jittery, who else would find out about him after Lily? But Eden had reassured him, they would even put a memory spell on someone if they even began to suspect him. Eden wasn’t worried about herself, and there she was; comforting Remus. Eclipse and Lily even hinted that they would do the same, which warmed his heart up.

Peter also had a significant change. He had a girlfriend. A pretty muggle-born witch who shared his interest with cooking and baking and went by the name of Mary. Everyone had congratulated him, even Eden.

Speaking of Eden, she had become more withdrawn from the Marauders. Eclipse said that it was something that happened over the summer, she just didn’t tell what it was. But it didn’t take them long to notice that Eden was wearing an engagement ring.

Sirius had become furious.

❊❊❊❊

When no rumors of the ring came up, the Marauders figured it out: an arranged marriage. But to whom, it wasn’t clear. Eclipse shook her head and admitted that it was a family problem. Not for them to worry.

It didn’t stop Lily or Sirius.

Everyone was having a massive study group outside, along the rocky shore of the Lake. Eden was sitting underneath a tree, to shield her from the sun. The boys and Eclipse were doing whatever it is that they consider fun and do as they please when they have the world as their playground. Lily arrived later and sat with the lone Blackthorne.

Lily had shrieked at the sight of it, grabbing Eden’s hand and flinging it around. “What the hell is this?!”

Eden sighed, placing her chin in her free open palm as Lily was interrogating her.

“Lily. Please, stop, your yelling is making my ears ring.”

Eden allowed her hand and arm to be flung about but she didn’t want to hear all the shouting the slender redhead was spouting. Lily then learned that Eden’s senses wasn’t that of a normal person, so she quieted it down.

“Who is making you get married? Your parents? Some other family? You are too young to marry! I _will not_ allow my precious friend to be married so suddenly! I will not allow it!”

Lily pushed herself in Eden’s space. Eclipse was smiling her trademark cheshire grin as she and Remus had come by to see what the commotion was.

“What, you’re engaged?” Remus took part, just in a calmer tone.

Eden groaned. James sat on Eden’s unoccupied side, whistling as he spotted the ring,” That’s a big rock.”

Eden emitted another groan as Sirius came in and began to shake Eden’s arm after taking it from Lily.

“Who the hell are you marrying, I’ll kick his—“

Eden slapped her hand on Sirius’ mouth, stopping him.

Eden then hissed,” _Sirius_ _Orion_ _Black_ , if you finish that sentence you will regret it! You do not want to get on our grandfather’s bad side!”

Everyone stopped.

“Grandfather?” Lily and James asked simultaneously.

Lily ignored James when he smiled at her. Eden sighed and looked to Eclipse, the two sharing the same look as though they were conspiring.

“I’m the eldest Blackthorne. And my grandfather wants me to marry to one of his own grandkids. The family is larger than you think… Eclipse and I have _four_ pairs of grandparents.”

Remus whistled in astonishment.

“And to answer your question, yes, it is possible. All the way back, we migrated from Greece and moved to Italy. There, the Blackthornes started, there were four siblings and they split off entirely. They didn’t intermarry or anything. Saiph was a wizard and we are his direct descendants, he moved to England and built the Blackthorne mansion after he married.”

James whistled again,” Damn, what about the others?”

Eclipse groaned this time, earning everyone’s attention. “Saiph’s brothers, they started their own families. One married a French witch, who had turned out to be a veela descendant. The other one apparently married a muggle, he was supposedly not a wizard— it is hard to tell. This was a long time ago. Not even our dad and our uncle’s parents’s parents know anything else. And then there is the youngest, the brothers’ only sister.”

Peter then suddenly asked,” What happened to the sister?”

The Marauders went quiet, Lily too, and Eden went deathly still.

Eclipse turned her wolf eyes upon him,” She married a werewolf.”


	16. Her Secret

_she loves mysteries so much_

_that she became one_

6th year

5 December 1976

“Here, Lils.”

The redhead had been distracted by letters from her family and Petunia.

She looked up to see what Eclipse and Eden were offering. She was face to face with a pretty necklace that of a very simple but beautiful silver crescent moon on a twice-wound dark leather cord.

Lily gasped, and held it in her hand,” What is this for?”

Eden returned to reading her book, it was one of Lily’s own books written by a muggle, and it fascinated her. But she still always gave her undivided attention to the redheaded witch.

Eclipse smiled. “Oh, you know, just to keep track of you. It has a spell, so if you’re in danger we’ll find you, indefinitely.”

“Wow, it is so pretty, but what is with the spell?”

Eden merely looks into Lily, amber eyes sharp and it said it all. Lily wrapped the two cords worth of the necklace around her neck without hesitation.

Eden must have foreseen something in Lily’s future.

❊❊❊❊

James had went ballistic over the necklace for the entire day. Eclipse just wanted to see him in his restless agony for a good laugh, so she didn’t say anything about it. But she had went as far as telling James that some guy had given it to Lily.

Sirius caught on quickly, when he had seen Eclipse’s trademark smile. He played along. “So, Eclipse, who really gave that necklace to Lily?”

Sirius had asked when James was running after Lily to demand who gave that necklace to her.

Eden smiled crossing her arms and laying her backside to a brick wall,” Eden and I, just because we thought it would look good on her.”

Sirius then crossed his lean muscular arms,” By the way, where is she? Eden?”

Eclipse watched after Lily as the redhead hit James with another jinx to get him to shut up. “Eden went to visit Moony. She also might be getting another cold, she has been getting headaches, did you notice?”

Of course, Eclipse would know all about it.

They stood in silence for a good while until Sirius broke it. “It is a little odd, you know? How come the winter is always so bad for her?”

Eclipse simply shrugged, smoothly deflecting.

“So worried about her, dear me… Fancy my sister, do you, Paddy?”

She smirked as Sirius went quiet instantly, a slight tinge erupting in his cheeks and it has Eclipse widening her smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m rooting for you. Our grandfather has been so irritating about wanting Eden to marry. Our father would like you a lot better, and Uncle Fallon would too.” Sirius’ eyebrows raised up.

“You think so?” Eden nodded,” I _know_ so.”

❊❊❊❊

Remus had went to the hospital wing, for on the 6th of December; there was a full moon coming. But despite that, the moon was visible in the daylight. No one seemed to have noticed that Eden Blackthorne had went to the hospital wing as well.

Remus laid on the cot next to Eden’s own. She was however sitting up, much to Madam Pomfrey’s chagrin. Eden has been having the most _awful_ , head splitting headaches since last month.

“Are you alright, Eden?” Eden shook her head, not even recognizing Remus’ own pained voice.

She began to name all her symptoms, quietly to herself. “Headaches. Nausea. Cramps…”

She continued. Remus looked at Eden, and he honestly thought that he was feeling less pain compared to Eden. Eden was so pale, she could probably be transparent as a ghost if no one knew that she was a solid, living being. He just didn’t know how much pain Eden was currently in, and the full moon wasn’t until the day after.

“Remus.”

He looked to her again, her slouched back as her hands shakily held her pale face. “Yes, Eden?”

She breathed slowly. In and out. In and out. “I have to tell you the full truth…”

He was curious, albeit put off with the nervousness in the usually meticulous and poised Eden, but he was more concerned about her paleness and the pain she was going through. Remus nearly forgot his pain as Eden went into the full details of what she was really going through.

❊❊❊❊

6 December 1976

Eden and Eclipse had been excused from classes, by Dumbledore. They had been sent home through apparition, the quickest and safest way to escort an ill Eden Blackthorne.

Sirius was in a rage, because not only his best mate was sick but Eclipse and Eden are suddenly just back at their home mansion. Eden’s sudden illness worsened, to the point where it was suggested that she remained at home for the rest of the school year.

And the twins nearly did.

Remus didn’t tell his best friends about it, but he had suggested through his owl that the boys needed to know sooner or later. The twins agreed, owling him that they would return to school after the winter break.

❊❊❊❊

9 January 1977

“You’re back!”

Lily had tackled herself into the twins and refused to allow any of the others to even get close to them. She went to hug Eclipse and then Eden.

When Lily finally let go, Eden was revealed to be extremely pale— with horrible, dark bags under her eyes. Her skin was as white as pure snow, it made Eclipse look like someone of colour rather than just being tanned.

“Merlin’s beard, Eden, you’re so cold!” Sirius went to wrap his aviator jacket around her slender shoulders after hearing Lily’s words.

“Thanks, Sirius.” Eden had smiled at him, he held her hands to give them some warmth.

But what really caught Lily’s and the Marauder’s attention was Eclipse’s split lip and the fading bruise on her high cheekbone.

“Bloody hell! Who did this to you, Eclipse?!” James and Remus began to examine at it, poking and prodding as doting mothers.

Peter had offered some freshly made and really warm chocolate cupcakes to Eden with his condolences to her ill state, she had thanked Peter with a kiss on his cheek for her gratitude. Over the winter break, poor Peter and Mary had split; a family reason Mary had said.

Eclipse swatted at the two Marauders with some hard slaps on their hands. “Bloody hell, you need to calm down. And it was _worth it_. I “convinced” our grandfather to cut the engagement off, it pissed off that prat of a grandson he had. He was fairly sure that he would win a fight against me. But he _didn’t_. Especially when our father saw how the prat reacted, our dad has been trying to get our grandfather to back off from Eden.”

The Blackthorne twins were a force to reckon, one that no one could beat.

Her smirk was that of pure chaos.


	17. Revealed

_she had a wild, wandering soul_

_but when she loved, she loved with chaos_

_and that made all the difference_

6th year

10 January 1977

“So… you _are_ a werewolf?”

James was struck dumb. Sirius was stiff as a pole. Remus looked resigned and Peter had the map and was nowhere to be seen.

“Yes…” The two out of three boys looked to her as Eden had been slightly hesitant on the word. “And no…”

Eclipse had been holding her sister’s hand, to keep her warm because Eden was just too cold even with two blankets wrapped around her. Blaire was leisurely curled up on Eden’s lap.

“So what is this, then?” Sirius hissed.

Eden blankly looked at him,” A curse.”

“Well, duh,” James was always the one to back Sirius up.

Eclipse growled at James to shut him up and Eden continued.

“It is a literal curse, you wanker.”

Lily looked close to tears, hugging Eden’s other side to give her warmth. Eden never felt so much more grateful for having Lily Evans as a best friend and closest companion.

“Remember what we said on our family? Where the Blackthornes started from?”

The boys nodded, Remus having already heard it.

“When the sister went to marry the werewolf, the story is that she didn’t care about it; she actually loved the man along with the wolf.”

Eclipse began to rub Eden’s cold hands. “And she became pregnant with his children… Twins.”

The boys listened intently.

“Thing is. Saiph and the other two brothers learned of their sister’s pregnancy. You could guess that they didn’t take it well. Werewolves back then was seen as complete abominations. They killed their sister’s husband. And in the process, the sister lost her baby twins. They died before they were even born.”

James cursed under his breath, Sirius was still as stone.

“Ever since that day, the sister hated her brothers— hated them enough that her powers as a witch awakened within her. And she cursed them. Each curse with a different purpose.”

Remus paled at this part, and James was gobsmacked while Sirius’ eyes flashed a dangerous shade of a darker gray.

“The brother whose wife was a veela descendant: the sister cursed their children and their later on descendants into soul-sucking veelas. Whenever they fell in love, they were forced to feed on their beloved’s souls; some had been able to control themselves to only partially feed, other’s not so fortunate.”

James winced.

“The brother who married the muggle, the sister cursed the muggle that she would never bear children. The sister and that brother had always been closest, because they were known for not being part of the wizarding world like the other two siblings. So, the sister went “easy” on him. It wasn’t hard to do the Muggle way for adopting children.”

Eden leaned over, began to shift within her blanket wrappings to get some more warmth, Lily hugs Eden more tightly, Eden felt like she could just curl up into her side and let Lily shield her from everything else in this world. She desperately wanted a nap.

“And finally… Saiph. He had planned it, forcing his other brothers along the way, to kill their sister’s werewolf husband. And so, the sister cursed Saiph’s family bloodline with a far worse kind of curse.” Eden looked to Eclipse, the twins nodded to one another.

“But this curse was different from the others. You see, the sister lost her twin children. If you had guessed it, Saiph also had twins… So, this curse would only involve twins, a blood curse.”

Sirius breathed in what finally seemed like a century, James frowning and Remus groaning as he heard it for a second time.

“When the sister’s curse had been cast, it would only truly work when twins were born from _his_ bloodline. The sister’s curse on Saiph’s own twins was that they would suffer the transformation and become werewolves.”

James whispered as he leaned closer,” And…?”

Eden looked to Lily and Eclipse then back to James. “Saiph couldn’t bare to kill his own children, so instead; he asked for mercy and gave them to the sister. She gladly accepted them. Saiph then remarried and attempted to loophole around the curse, he had another set of twins. He stopped after that and killed himself by hanging from his neck.”

“Well, that was a horrible story to tell, Eden…” Sirius attempted to joke.

“I am not finished, Sirius.”

The boys stopped, Remus groaned knowing the end.

“After Saiph’s death, the sister had raised his first set of twins on her own and they had their own families. All werewolves, even to this day.”

Remus stiffened as he had the first time he heard it.

“Saiph’s second set of twins, they went on to have their own families, the line didn’t have twins until god only knows when. And when twins did pop up, usually the curse involved both twins, but there are some cases that only involved one of them. The last twins, both had the curse, and they suffered only the symptoms of the transformation. It only starts after the twins’ puberty hits.”

Eclipse finished however,” The last twins died. They both suffered from the pain and couldn’t take it anymore. The family went on, because after the curse had started, the twin’s parents went on to have another kid to keep the family going. Skip several generations down, five hundred years’ worth, and here we are.”

James looked to Eden,” So, you are dying now?”

Eden nodded and began to explain,” The curse was just a curse, and as you know curses of this type is going to be hard to remain consistent, even a blood curse.”

Sirius flinched and Lily began to sniffle, attempted to battle against her tears.

“You need to factor in the scientific part of it as well, one would guess. Remember that Saiph was a wizard, his second wife was a witch, and then the two gave birth to the second twins. Both wizards and both cursed to be werewolves. The blood of the two fought against each other. The werewolf blood against the wizard blood, the twin brothers died because the werewolf won the battle.”

She shrugged as she thought carefully,” I was _born_ into the two different types of blood. The sister’s curse wasn’t at all perfect, she probably never meant for any twins to actually die. She probably even only meant to curse Saiph’s first twins. Who knows.”

She whispered, it sounded more like a statement than a curious question.

“So what now?”

Sirius stood up abruptly as he looked at Eden, frowning as began to curse under his breath. Just when he was beginning to understand all these feelings for Eden Blackthorne, it was now going through a tornado of chaos and Eden is now _dying_.

It was there, all evident, all those times Eden had smiled like it her last, after every full moon she was either sleeping in classes or had been too sick to come to lessons. Or the times when she had seemed she had gotten into a fight with a cat, which was impossible, Blaire loved Eden and all animals seemed to like Eden when they would approach her from out of nowhere.

Eclipse and Eden was silent. James and Remus went to calm down Sirius.

Eden however stopped Sirius with her words. “It doesn’t matter, Sirius.”

He went to yell at her but she glared him down into silence.

“I _will_ live. I’m going to break this curse and _live_.”


	18. Separate

_and the stars blinked_

_as they watched her carefully,_

_jealous of her shine_

6th year

28 January 1977

“Bloody hell.”

Sirius had snapped as Eclipse went to sit next to the two teenagers on the single seat couch chair. James sighed heavily.

She raised an eyebrow,” What? Can I no longer sit where I want in the Common Room?”

Ever since Eden’s secret come out, the two out of four male Marauders have been avoiding the Blackthornes like the plague.

Sirius Black had the worst of reaction towards Eden, resulting in him avoiding the Blackthorne he had feelings for. He scowled, but before he could say a word, Eclipse cut him off.

“You know Sirius, if you had gotten your head out of your charming arse, you would understand this in our perspective.” Eclipse snapped and then looked into the fireplace, her wolf eyes took on the colour of molten gold.

Somehow Peter never got wind of it, and no one really seemed to notice that he was curious on what had come to pass— he just never got around to questioning it. Remus took action and he is now seen always lingering by Eden’s side, as she was actually heartbroken by Sirius’ routine of avoiding her.

 “How could you live with it? With her?” James had whispered.

Lily had been on friendly terms with James after the twin’s secret had come out. Honestly, James really didn’t want to lose the friendship he had with the twins but he was on Sirius’ misguided side.

Eclipse didn’t look at them as she whispered back,” She is all I have. I am all she has. Because… she is the living replica of our mother. Before our monthly cycles began and it initiated the curse; I used to look exactly like my twin and our mother. Amber eyes, freckles, and all… After it began, I suddenly changed; losing the same eye colour and the freckles. It was my part in the curse.”

James remained silent, Sirius though while he was angry he was also curious.

“They thought that when our cycles began… no scratch that, everyone in the Blackthorne family thought it would be me. They didn’t expect Eden to be the only one though. Eden who kept our mother’s eyes and freckles… And I’m not suffering from the curse, just suffering because of her pain.”

Eclipse, for the first time in years, looked as she felt. Defeated and scared, she wouldn’t be able to handle losing her sister too.

James looked stricken, struggling to stay on Sirius’ side and wanting to be with the Blackthorne twins. James unlike the other Marauders, excluding Eclipse, knew that Ezra Blackthorne was dead— dead because she was a Healer who got caught up in the war with You-Know-Who all those years back. Because Ezra _Maestro_ used to be friends with the Potter family, and had been, even after Ezra married into the House of Blackthorne.

❊❊❊❊

1 February 1977

“I don’t know, Eden…”

Regulus had whispered to Eden, the two were scribbling down the notes and they had been going deep on the subject of boggarts. The two’s combination of intelligence was quite overwhelming.

The professors had thought that while they keep to the same organization of the years; they thought of mixing the houses together for the rest of the year. Now, all four houses were mixed in lessons— Eden had sat with Regulus Black, the two had been flustering the new DADA professor with so many questions. It was chaos, and it somehow had everyone else participate in the new activity of over questioning everything to the newest professor.

Eden smiled, leaned closer to Regulus,” It is too easy, Regulus… Now you see there?”

The named fifth year hummed as he considered it, then wrote down another bit of the lesson.

Regulus, despite his age, had been considered by professors to be on the sixth year level for lessons. Sirius was scowling deeply, his chin on his crossed arms as he leaned half of his body on the desk table to lean closer to hear the two’s conversation.

Sirius may not have shown it but he was jealous of Eden’s and Regulus’ friendship. Regulus had learned of Eden’s condition, he had accepted it despite his deeply ingrained, taught prejudice and the two appeared closer than ever— furthering Sirius’ jealousy.

James chuckled at Sirius’ sour facial expressions. Some more Ravenclaws were questioning the professor. Remus was chatting overexcitedly with Lily, Hufflepuff Rowen Withers, and a Ravenclaw who was talking just as excited as Remus was. Peter was surprising a Hufflepuff and another Gryffindor with his knowledge. Some Hufflepuffs were mixed in with other Slytherins also took part in the chaos.

The game continued, and not long after the sixth years all began to question the DADA professor. Eden and Regulus were questioning one another on the process of how a boggart could take solid form.

The professor quit within five minutes of the new game that was invented by Eden’s and Regulus’ unintentional questioning.

The professor had sobbed,” You lot are a disaster! I am done, I quit from all this nonsense!”

Running out and leaving the DADA classroom without his belongings, the sixth years watched the wizard leave and not return.

The entire classroom was quiet.

❊❊❊❊

Even though Sirius, who had James by his side, had avoided Eden is seemed almost impossible. It was noticeable once more, to everyone else around the Marauders and Blackthornes when in Hogwarts— it was set in stone, the Blackthorne twins and the misfit teenage boys were always meant to be.

It was always their story.

And then the story changes paths once again, when muggles and muggle-borns are once again beginning to be killed in high multitudes— You-Know-Who was just starting in his second reign of terror.

The war was beginning.


	19. Him

_she’s got a secret garden_

_where everything you want, you need_

_will always stay a million miles away_

6th year

14 February 1977

The war was just rocking into the inevitable start. But one is always safe at Hogwarts, or so they say.

It has been one and a half lonely and painstakingly long months since the day Eden’s secret had been told. Sirius Black continued on in his denial-induced isolation from Eden Blackthorne and he hasn’t planned on stopping just yet.

Dumbledore decided that to get rid of all the Valentine’s Day activity and feelings, and so he had the Great Hall as the center of exchanging gifts and sweets as the first thing in the morning during breakfast.

The seventeen year old Black was now disgruntled, as he was watching Eden receive _yet_ another bag of sweets as a gift from a blushing fourth year. Eden and Remus shared the position of prefects in their respective Houses, the two were most known for helping those around who were lost and in need of guidance. So, of course, she would receive gifts from others.

Amber eyes lit up, she had smiled at the fourth year and the younger kid blushed even more.

“Thank you, I am such a sucker for homemade brownies.”

The fourth year smiled easily afterwards, Eden had the talent of easing people’s nerves in conversations.

Sirius grumbled some more.

James leaned on him,” You are so moody, Padfoot, maybe you should just go and talk to Eden. Really, mate, not even I understand why you’re still avoiding her anymore.”

The thought had come up, but when Sirius had thought about it, he found that he didn’t know what he could say to Eden Blackthorne.

Eclipse then slapped Sirius at the back of his head. “Yeah, Paddy, I _seriously_ can’t believe you are still avoiding my sister. I’m disappointed, and I was rooting for you…”

Sirius rubbed the back of his head,” Bloody hell, Eclipse. No wonder you’re a Beater for Gryffindor.”

Eclipse glared at him, eating a chocolate bar she had received from Lily.

“Okay, okay, calm down.”

When Eclipse looked about ready to hit him again, she stopped. She watched Sirius as he leaned on his arms again and sighed as he watched Lily and Pandora give their own gifts to Eden. The Sirius Black was ‘whipped’ and it was because of Eden.

Eclipse looked to her sister, watching the amber eyed Ravenclaw smile and laugh as she and Regulus spoke to each other and exchanging some sweets. Eden deserved more than just some slow death, Eden deserved so much more. The world and more.

Eclipse Blackthorne looked back to Sirius Black— the younger Blackthorne thought in silence. Could Sirius Black offer that to her twin sister? Eclipse thought so.

She smirks, wicked as all her previous, and scoffs,” Do this any longer, Paddy, and you’ll be like Severus is to Lily.”

Sirius snapped his neck to look at her incredulously. Never once have Eclipse taken on such an aggressive style of speech— especially towards her fellow Marauders.

“You seem to have forgotten that Eden will not come to you like those girls who are desperate to shag you, Sirius Orion Black. Either grow up or break whatever it is you have with her. You are _breaking_ my sister’s heart. And I will not tolerate such actions any longer.”

Eclipse stood up, glaring down at Sirius but she had a bubblegum smile on her face. She left the four boys to go to her sister. They had all shivered at the sight of her sickeningly sweet smile; they all preferred her wicked one instead.

James choked. Remus tried hard to keep his laughter down. Peter looked the other way, guiltily chuckling. Sirius was speechless. Was he really breaking Eden Blackthorne’s heart? She seems absolutely fine, smiling as she receives chocolates from people she has either befriended or helped in the past or in more present times.

It was confirmed when Remus pat his mate’s shoulder. “As much as I need to say this, Eclipse is right. You better do something, Padfoot, or Eden is going to walk right past you and move on…”

That clicked in Sirius’ mind.

❊❊❊❊

What a story it would be. That the charming and well-known Sirius Black was nervous. Nervous to even converse with a girl, but then again Eden Blackthorne was not just _any_ girl.

Sirius used the map to find that Eden was in the Potions laboratory, in the middle of the night again. He had noticed that about her, sometimes there would be nights where she wandered the halls of Hogwarts as though she was a ghost. Other times she was pacing in one corridor and then returning to her dorms to sleep. Hell, he had even followed after and sometimes he even walked with her throughout the years.

He shuffled his feet, as to not surprise Eden too much when he approached her.

She turned her head. When he looked at her with his full attention it was then that he noticed that the moon was beautiful outside. It lit up the night sky and its stars, but right now it was as though it served to be Eden’s halo around her hair that was so black that she could have blended in with the rest of the darkness of the laboratory.

It was just too bad that she was so pale that the moonlight illuminated her freckled skin. Sirius’ heart cracked— such pale skin was just a sign of her strengthening curse.

“Sirius Black… and what are you doing in the Potions laboratory at such a time? Hm?” Eden’s petal lips curved upwards, her devilish smile has returned.

He simply shrugged, thinking carefully upon his words. “You underestimate how much I actually do worry about you… Eden Blackthorne…”

He cautiously moved up closer, and he examined the potion she was working on. He had seen it so many times, but he needed to think of something to speak to her.

“What is this?”

She hummed and stirred the potion lightly. She didn’t seem to mind his questioning.

“Wolfsbane… for Remus…”

Sirius’ eyebrows raised up.

“And not for you?” He had whispered, as though the two were speaking in lessons and weren’t presently alone. She shook her head.

“It is only for full werewolves… I never transformed, not even once. But I have thought about it, making a potion to alleviate the pains…”

She quickly poured the contents into a few more vials and placed it with the rest of the batch she was nearly finished with.

Sirius bit his lip, trying and thinking of something else to say.

Eden’s amber eyes fixated themselves upon him,” Sirius, does it bother you that much? My curse?”

He jumped, as though he had been purposely shocked by one of Lily’s phony shock buzzers that muggles had made for their own sorts of pranks.

“No… no… it is just that… I can’t handle the thought of losing you when…” He stopped, blushing madly.

She averted her eyes and began to fill the cauldron with the right amount and began on the Wolfsbane again.

The two opposites stood in silence, she stirred the contents and he wrung out his hands in his nervousness.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen…~” She sang softly,” Sirius Black, falling madly for a girl like me.”

She dramatically swooned, and he had caught her. Him smiling as the two jested.

But his smile fell, and she noticed this time as she looked up at him.

“You are not like other girls or witches, Blackthorne.”

She smiled as he brought her back to her feet and twirled her lightly.

“And you are not like other boys or wizards, Black.” She finished the last of the Wolfsbane, pouring the last of it into the last vials and placing them delicately into the batch.

He twirled her again, and the two began to waltz.

The two remained in silence as they had danced. Not even humming. Nothing. Silence. It was relaxing and it felt good to have Eden in Sirius’ arms again.

The two slowed down, finishing the waltz.

They stood in front of one another, her hand slipping into his with such ease. She looked up to him, he down to her. His free hand caressed her cheek, and his thumb had found its way to her scar on her cheek.

“Tell me that I am a fool…” Sirius had whispered.

She smiled, as though she was the devil himself,” You may be a fool…”

He sighed softly.

And she finished,” But you would be my fool, Sirius Black.”

His eyes glinted,” And you my heart, Eden Blackthorne.”

He leaned closer to her, both of them smiling, their lips lightly brushing. She stopped, her eyes sliding to the doorway and he looked over as well. The two heard footsteps, Eden was just the one with better senses.

Whispers began,” I swear, I heard something… What of you, my lovely?”

It was Filch and his cat.

The Blackthorne looked to the Black and he back, they smiled and stifled their laughter. He grabbed the batch of the Wolfsbane and they had ran as fast as they could to the Gryffindor tower. Eden didn’t return to her own dorm in Ravenclaw tower for that night, instead she and Sirius shared his bed, sleeping innocently.

Eden learned that Sirius was a cuddler.


	20. Patronus

_don’t fashion me into a maiden that needs saving from a dragon._

_I am the dragon, and I will eat you whole._

6th year

29 May 1977

The Marauders, Blackthornes and Lily Evans all sat underneath a tree, they were by the rocky shores of the Lake. It was a free period, until they all would go to Defense against the Dark Arts. They were discussing the war.

“I’m thinking about enlisting… What about you, Padfoot?”

Lily frowned as Sirius nodded his head. Eden was reading her book, alongside Remus— the two in different worlds but they were listening in on the ongoing conversation.

Peter shook, shivering in fear, but he had nodded. He was going to join as well, despite whatever it is that could happen in this war. There was no questioning about what Remus would do.

“Well, you lot have fun with that…” Lily scowled, sighed and looked at the calm waters.

Eclipse was waving her wand as she practiced nonverbal spells. “I might be signing up as well…”

Lily turned her gaze at Eclipse, in absolute surprise.

When Eclipse caught the disbelieving look, she shrugged,” What else would any of us do? Hide under rocks and pretend that the world is fine? Admit it, Lily, not even the Muggle world is safe from this war. It will be mass destruction, on a global scale, no one is going to be safe.”

Lily looked torn but she nodded in agreement.

Sirius laid his head on Eden’s shoulder, he smiled,” And of course, we will have quite the skilled Healer on our side, right, Eden?”

She looked up,” Demons run when good men go to war,” she closes her book,” I’m going to Madam Pomfrey, my head feels like it is splitting in half.”

Sirius looks to her with a questioning glance, sitting up straight to allow her to stand up. She walks away, everyone quite shocked with her quote of wisdom and her abrupt leave.

Lily sighed,” I feel like she just seems too smart for everyone else…”

James simply shrugged,” Probably a Ravenclaw thing, Evans.”

Lily and James had been on better terms than ever, but Lily still wasn’t ready to get close to him. He wasn’t pushing at her like before; he would wait for Lily Evans forever, if he needed to. She had told James that she didn’t like bullies, and though while it did include Severus, she meant it for James’ entire career of harmful pranks.

It resulted in the Marauders doing pranks that weren’t so harmful, and more for kicks and laughs— no more bullying, period. Lily Evans noticed it right away.

Remus however closed his book, looking after Eden’s figure,” She always had that look about her, that look of otherness, of eyes that see things much too far, and of thoughts that wander off the edges of the world…”

Eclipse sighed. “It is not that…”

Everyone looked to her, James had a quick guess.

“Eden doesn’t want to talk about it, but she accepted it— it is why she can see Thestrals. She doesn’t want see any more death… When she was still a baby, she had a vision of our mother’s death— no one understood why she was crying so hard, no one could stop her crying. Until, a few days later, our family heard the news of our mother’s death, she was protecting family members of muggle-borns at one of the hospitals and she was murdered by Death Eaters.”

Sirius felt like he had been punched in the stomach.

They don’t speak about the war or enlisting afterwards.

❊❊❊❊

James and Lily quickly looked away from each other, James however looked back to Lily. The two had just revealed to everyone their Patronus, James as a stag and Lily as a doe.

Sirius snickered, and Peter handed a few galleons to him. They had made an ongoing bet since third year about what Lily’s Patronus could have been. Sirius had said something along the lines that it would be a certain match to Prong’s.

Remus, who didn’t even want to see what his Patronus all the way back in third year, was now on his knees on the DADA classroom’s floor. He then punched the floor as though it would have changed his Patronus. It was a goddamn wolf, of all things, a goddamn wolf.

Eclipse was comforting him, and Eden spoke some soothing words that got him back on his feet. No one else in the class nor the newest DADA professor understood why Remus Lupin was suddenly angry at his Patronus.

The professor than went off to have some Slytherins to have them attempt at their Patronus. Some failed and others had succeeded. The professor then looked to the Hufflepuffs.

“Remus, it is alright…”

Eclipse had patted his shoulder and Eden hugged Remus. Sirius rubbed Remus’ back. James and Lily continued on in their ‘don’t look back’ game.

Remus finally calmed down, when Lily had spoken to him in very quiet tones. Whatever Lily Evans had told Remus Lupin seemed to have brighten him up. He and Eden hung out in farthest side of the classroom to avoid the professor. It was Eclipse’s turn to show off.

“Expecto Patronum.”

Instantly, a form took shape. But it moved faster, and it landed onto the professor’s front desk. It was a majestic tiger, and its eyes took on the colour of Eclipse’s wolfish eyes, never once had a Patronus took on a different colour than the usual silvery light. But people were more focused on the fact that it was Eclipse’s Patronus was a predatory animal.

The tiger gave off quite the regal showing but its quirkiness was that it chased after Sirius’ own Patronus, which was a large wolf-like dog. The other students had laughed. Sirius and Eclipse high fived, moving to Remus and Eden’s hiding spot.

The professor however noticed Eden’s absent form and looked around until he found the eldest Blackthorne. “Ah-ha!”

Everyone was waiting to see what the Ravenclaw’s Patronus was. Probably an owl, or something along the lines that would show Eden Blackthorne’s intelligence.

“If you please, Ms. Blackthorne.” The professor gestures to the wide open space for the amber eyed witch.

She looked at the professor, slightly nervous; not because she thought that she couldn’t produce a Patronus. It was quite the opposite really, and it would definitely have some students terrified out of their minds.

Eden swishes her wand with natural elegance, and lowly whispered,” Expecto Patronum…”

At first, nothing happened. A silence ensued.

But before anyone could utter a word or some other student could laugh at her, silver and wispy light came bursting out with full force from Eden’s rosewood wand: a massive body begins to take form. In front of the Marauders and the rest of the DADA sixth year students, an Antipodean Opaleye dragon took the entire length of the DADA’s classroom— even then the dragon’s tail went through the wall and out into the corridor and hallway.

The students gaped, the professor paled significantly. The dragon’s beautiful scales shimmered in all its silvery-like glory and then it turned its massive head towards to the students, its slit pupils narrowed in on them. Some of them backed away, others went completely still as though they were statues. No one was going to laugh anymore.

The dragon relaxed its jaw, to reveal many sharp teeth and a mighty, muted roar escaped from its maw. It had to be a bloody dragon, was all Sirius thought in his amazement.

James pointed at it, his glasses slightly askew as he began to flail around,” Bloody brilliant!”

Lily nearly fainted.

Remus whispers to Eclipse,” Of course, I have a wolf and she has a bloody dragon for her Patronus.”


	21. Fear and Firewhiskey

_just because you are soft doesn’t mean you are not a force,_

_honey and wildfire are both the color gold._

6th year

9 June 1977

The Defense against the Dark Arts professor was introducing the boggart for the lesson.

“Everyone, please stand and help move the desks to the sides of the room.”

Everyone did as they were told. Sirius and Eden moved theirs with ease. James and Lily followed after Eclipse and Remus, the entire class slowly cleared itself out. The professor walks amongst the students, careful and precise in her stride and confidence on her shoulders.

“Can someone tell me what a boggart is?”

The professor was a young witch who had graduated from Hogwarts years ago, she had been traveling the world and now returned as a professor for DADA. She stood in front of a mirrored armoire, it was shaking from whatever wanted to get out of its prison. Some looked wary whilst others were itching to start this new lesson

The older witch picked one of the Ravenclaws. “A boggart is shapeshifting being who takes on the form of someone’s worst fear. No one has ever seen its true form, or at least no one alive.”

Eden and Eclipse stood together, glancing at one another. Eclipse’s eyebrow quirked as she smirked. Eden merely twitches a half smile, rolling her eyes as she lightly bumps her hip against her sister’s.

“Excellent. Thank you. Let us now practice the spell that repels a boggart. Everyone after me,’ Riddikulus’.”

With a couple more repeats of the spell on everyone’s tongue, the professor had everyone line up.

“Secondly, for all of you to know, laughter is what really gets a boggart. So, please, prepare yourselves with something that would make you laugh in the face of your fear. Are we ready?”

Remus was behind Eden and Eclipse was ahead of the rest of her fellow Marauders.

The lesson began.

❊❊❊❊

It was finally Eden’s turn, everyone was still laughing at the last boggart’s Riddikulus form. She stepped forward, brandishing her wand as she moved. Everyone tried to look over each other’s shoulder, because when would anyone ever find out what Eden Blackthorne was afraid of, if not now?

Eden had a laughing smile from before, she could hear her twin sister still laughing with Remus— but then the room began to feel cold as Eden’s boggart revealed its new form. The eldest Blackthorne lost her smile in slow motion.

The professor’s young face began to lose its colour. Sirius’ smile was wiped off his face along with the rest of the Marauders. Eclipse had gone still. No student moved as the room became chilled and smoky as if a bomb’s residual aftereffects remained.

It wasn’t a dementor, like some other students before her. No. It was far worse.

Eclipse Blackthorne was on the floor, where the boggart had previously been. But something was odd about Eclipse’ appearance. The still body wore a dress as if she was a nurse, a Healer, a dress from a decade before the present. But the wand Eclipse, or whoever it was, held in her hand was the same as Eclipse’ wand. It had to be Eclipse Blackthorne. Who else?

But the way Eden’s eyes lost their vibrant shine, dulling quickly, as if she was pained. The way she moved backwards away from the body on the floor, her head shaking as a form of saying ‘no, it’s impossible’.

It wasn’t Eclipse Blackthorne on the floor. It was a twenty-five year old Ezra Blackthorne. The mother to the Blackthorne twins. Ezra’s face was covered in the same freckles that splayed themselves on Eden’s face and body. Ezra’s eyes, amber eyes, extraordinary and exactly the same colour given to Eden’s own, were staring straight at Eden. As if accusing, as if blaming her for what was done to her was Eden’s fault.

Ezra Blackthorne was dead. And there was only one way any person could be dead and be left in such a gruesome state _that_ way: the killing curse. Eden’s rose-vined wand began to slowly lower from her usual stance, the students and professor watched on in silent horror.

Eden slowly raised her wand again, before anyone moved again, and she weakly whispered. “Riddikulus…”

Her spell only made it worse.

Now it was someone one didn’t have the same freckles as Eden or Ezra, it was Eclipse Blackthorne, in the same position as Ezra had been. Wolfish eyes replaced amber.

Lily sobbed at the sight of Eclipse on the floor. James choked, Sirius backed away quickly and Peter had cowered away from the sight, covering his eyes in the process. Remus looked as if he was painfully ill. But if there was someone who reacted less yet the worst, it was Eden.

Eden didn’t blink. Breathe. Move. A total shut down, yet her entire body felt on fire as her mind was blankly processing Eclipse’s still form on the floor. The young professor was the only one who could visibly see Eden’s face. The hollowness that the older witch had glanced upon in Eden’s eyes, would to her last breath haunt the woman.

Eden’s wand slipped from her hand— to her, the world had gone quiet, a roaring silence in her ears, breath stuck in her throat. Eclipse moved, her reaction time faster than a deer caught in headlights. She ghosted past Remus, grabbing her sister and forced Eden to look at her.

She was alive— Eclipse whispered to Eden. The teenaged boys had seen it— that haunted look where Eden was convinced that Eclipse was truly dead. Maybe on some level, seeing Ezra’s body was somewhat mild, but at the sight of Eclipse’s dead body— Eden would have set the world on fire and watched it burn to the ground. It would hold a place in their minds forever.

It was the only time in those school years that anyone witnessed Eden Blackthorne fall to her knees and cry into her sister’s shoulder.

The professor later on that day resigned from her position. Dumbledore himself had went to visit the twins in the hospital wing. He would never forget the horror that was in Eden Blackthorne’s eyes.

❊❊❊❊

Hours later, deep into the night, at Gryffindor’s tower; the likes of a party never seen before was hosted. Every Gryffindor and every Ravenclaw was celebrating, some Slytherins and Hufflepuffs had joined, as friends that the twins had gained over the years. It was Eden and Eclipse Blackthorne’s birthday party.

After the horror that had been told of in DADA throughout the rest of the student body in Hogwarts, everyone felt the strong need to cheer the twins up.

Sirius downed another firewhiskey. Eden was nowhere to be seen but Eclipse was having the time of her life. Lily was nowhere seen either, James was glumly drinking his own shot of firewhiskey.

Sirius sighed, Remus caught onto Sirius’ mood faster than anybody else.

“Padfoot.”

He looked up at his nickname being called, raising an eyebrow at Moony.

“She is hiding in Lily’s and Eclipse’ dorm.”

Sirius was quick to travel up to the girls’ dorms to find Eden. Nothing mattered more than for him to get to Eden.

“Jesus!”

Lily smacked Sirius on the head, she had been going to leave the dorm to find something to eat, for Eden. Eden had been quiet, unnervingly silent, she still hadn’t spoken since what happened in DADA.

“Is Eden in there?” Sirius didn’t skip a beat.

Lily groaned,” Yes. I was going to find something for us to eat…”

Sirius shook his head,” I will handle it, Evans.”

Lily laid her hand on her hip, glaring down at Sirius, but Lily stopped when she spotted the burning look in Sirius’ eyes. Eden had always been made as Sirius’ first priority, even when she had barely known Sirius and vice versa for Sirius to Eden. But he always had, it always went in a circle with those two.

“Alright, Black. Take care of her for me.”

Sirius was surprised. Lily had always been protected by the Blackthorne twins. When it was her turn: Lily would do the same just as fiercely. He nodded and entered the room, Lily going downstairs to find some food in the Common Room and being bombarded by a tipsy James.

Sirius found Eden under the covers of Lily’s bed, she looked like she was going to fall asleep but she knew a nightmare would follow her. She was wide awake.

“Is this why you are awake during some nights?”

He asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed. She didn’t look at him, he noticed that she was staring at Eclipse’s bed that was next to Lily’s.

It took a while but Eden responded,” It was the first time divination came to me naturally. I was just shy of two years old, sleeping with Eclipse. And then I witnessed our mother’s death, I didn’t understand that what was reality and what was false, I cried nonetheless…”

Those kinds of things stick with anyone, even at such a young age. It sticks, never to leave and it forever stained into memory. Sirius knew only because the things to stick to him was the abuse from his family, being practically disowned by everyone except his one uncle who had wrote a will, leaving everything to Sirius.

He sighed, not saying anything as he yanked off Lily’s bed covers from Eden. He offered her his hand, she looked up at him but she slipped her hand into his without question. The two left the dorm room, left the party behind, and walked to the Astronomy Tower.

When the two reached the very top, they sat on the edge to look up at the sky.

“Death is not what I fear. But the loss of those who greet Death, and leave the rest behind. I never spoke to my mother, even if it was to babble nonsense and I memorized everything about her face because I see it in a mirror. Eclipse only ever sees the portraits that are hung. But sometimes… sometimes, I think she knows that she resembles mother just as well”

Eden lays her head on his shoulder, his and her fingers dance as they slip between each other. He rubs a circle in between her thumb and index finger.

“One day, you’ll see her again,” Sirius began,” but I hope not soon, because I— all of us: Prongs, Moony, Wormtail, Eclipse, Evans— still need you here.”

She chuckled,” I’m fairly sure it is Prongs that is the mother of us, not I.”

He smiled, it was a different smile, the one he only ever shown to her. Because it was natural to smile so easily for just her, he had only noticed that back in fourth year but he never quite realized that it first started since second year.

“If Evans and Prongs Sr. don’t get married soon, I think we should make a pact to do so. Then we can be the parents instead.”

Sirius kissed the crown of her head, Eden’s hair smelled heavenly as usual— the twins had a habit of stealing Lily’s multitudes of perfume. But Eden had a specific perfume smell, peonies and peaches.

She shook her head, vibrating with laughter,” And what if I don’t want to marry you, Black?”

He put his free hand on his heart, in the right place,” You wound me, Eden, my heart. Come on, you have to admit, we’re a little married by now. Why not seal it?”

The two of them smiled, and leaned in closer to each other. Sirius kissed Eden. Eden kissed Sirius. It wasn’t a slow kiss, nor quick— it wasn’t just a peck on the lips. Just a simple kiss of innocence. A slow molding of their mouths to one another.

When they leaned away from each other, Sirius wrapped his arm around her waist and the two kissed again, for some unknown reason Eden had laughed. Sirius’ outgrown hair was tickling her face. Sirius decided then that he loved the way laughter tasted on her smiling lips. He began to laugh too.

Eden fell for him again. When her mother had read her; telling her that there would only be one time and one person, it was a lie. Sirius Black had a way that would have Eden Blackthorne love him over and over.

❊❊❊❊

Sirius woke up with his arms around a napping Eden. “Pity I had so much firewhiskey. I’d love to know how I got you to sleep next to me.”

He had smiled, jokingly, as he hugged her body closer to his. The two took to sleeping on the couch last night, everyone who had attended were either back in their dorms or on the floor of the Gryffindor Common Room.

After their moment in the Astronomy tower, Sirius had convinced Eden to have some fun, it was her bloody birthday party too, after all. The two had danced together amongst the rest of the people; Eden refused to drink the firewhiskey and so, Sirius drank for the both of them. She would have reprimanded him, if he never stopped stealing a peck on her lips.

Remus however drank Sirius under the table— Remus had the affinity of beating people in drinking games ever since Sirius’ last birthday party.

Eden was silent, and didn’t open her eyes as she whispered,” That’s because you’re a sad drunk who likes to cuddle anything with a beating pulse. Bother me when it’s the noon times, Black.”

She burrowed herself into his side as she slipped back into her dreams.

He smiled, looking at Eden who had messy couch hair, and he had the strangest thought right then. He would love to wake up every morning with her by his side.


	22. Blackthorne Home

_even the stars speak your name_

25 June 1977

“Ah-ha! What is this?”

Eclipse smiled wickedly, her smile despite it being the harbinger of chaos it was what always brightened up the room. The wolf eyed Blackthorne had slipped the letter from the redhead’s hands. The final exams had been finished. The students were now packing up for the summer.

Lily Evans received a letter from her family, and the redhead witch dejectedly let the younger Blackthorne take the letter from her.

Eclipse titled her head when she didn’t hear Lily’s protest, her wolfish eyes began observing other witch with sharp focus. Her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, Lily would usually swat at Eclipse when she would take her things without her permission— not that Lily was truly mad at her best friend, the two were as close as sisters— almost as close as Eden and Eclipse were. She sits next to her best friend on her bed and begins to read the letter. It was a letter from Petunia.

Eclipse began to read it, in low tones, and then she finishes it. But the confusion in the Blackthorne’s mind had the wolf-eyed witch re-read the letter again, and she finished it for the second time. She turns her head to find Lily’s green eyes began to shine with tears.

“What is this?”

Petunia had threatened that Lily would be better off _not_ home whilst Petunia’s very muggle, very normal boyfriend was over for the entire summer— Petunia’s otherwise pretty handwriting was an ugly written piece that had basically kicked Lily out of her own home— all under the guise for their parents believing that their younger daughter was going somewhere else for the summer. That ugly little weed of emotion that had been planted back in first year, when Eclipse obtained Lily’s friendship, only grew more for Lily’s sister.

Eclipse despised the sister she would never want to meet because Petunia always left Lily so heartbroken. And if she had the chance, she would probably just go right ahead with hexing Petunia Evans.

Eclipse’s face began to redden, her anger building up from the top of her head to the bottom soles of her feet. But when Lily had went to wipe her tears, Eclipse pulled out a tissue from the bedside table next to the bed and offered it to her sniffling friend. The witch gratefully took it and blew her nose. Eclipse’ anger subsided as she took in deep breaths.

But no matter what, Eclipse always put Lily first in these situations. That is what best friends are for, yes?

She stood up from the bed, crushing the letter in her hand.

“Pack up your belongings, Lily.”

The redhead looked up, Eclipse pulled out Lily’s trunk from underneath her bed and laid it next to Lily onto the bed.

“You’re going to have the best summer of your life with us, the Blackthornes.” Eclipse’s yellow-gold eyes lit up with excitement.

Lily’s pupils widened,” What? You’d take me in, really?”

The wicked smile returns, and with it Eclipse rips Petunia’s letter into shreds, Lily giggles as the blackette dramatically flings the remains in the fireplace.

“Your sister is horrible, and no buts from you, little missy. As much as I would probably like the rest of your Muggle family, that isn’t what matters at the moment. Now, you’re going to be with us; you can be like our adopted sister. A redheaded sister.”

Lily Evans sniffed as she smiled, wide as her face could possibly allow.

❊❊❊❊

The door to the train compartment opened, revealing three Marauders, Eclipse was telling Lily on what the Rose Festival was like.

“You’ll love it! It is so romantic and the roses are always so beautiful… and then there are the contests you can win.”

Eclipse reminisced as she would swoon over Lily; the two began to giggle. Eden looked up, amber eyes connecting with gray ones; the two greeted each other with smiles before she returned to her book.

“Can we come too?” James smiled, the boys had heard about what Lily’s sister had done— Marlene McKinnon was such a gossip.

Padfoot and Moony had tagged along with Prongs, Wormtail had plans with his family that he couldn’t back away from in such short notice.

Eden was reading her book, her legs over Lily’s, it was her way of claiming Lily for her own— and Blaire’s way of claiming Lily was by curling himself up on the two girls’ crossed over legs. Eclipse had her arm wrapped around Lily’s neck as she joked and laughed with the redhead.

Eclipse grimaced at them, but smiled afterwards,” Maybe I want Lils for myself, ever thought about that, hm?”

The three teenage wizards laughed and took their seats on the opposite bench in the train’s compartment, James and Sirius chuckling. “Oh please, Blackthorne, where’s the fun without having us?”

Remus greeted Eden and the two switched books from their bags— it was a routine that they had since they first shared books with one another. Eden was interested in her book and everyone knew not to mess with her when she’s reading, so the boys bothered Lily and Eclipse during the entirety of the train ride back to London.

❊❊❊❊

It was a warm day, indeed. To the side of the English mansion there was a field of soon to be blossoming roses and a willow tree looming on a small hill. There were two men at the field, speaking to one another in hushed whispers. One leaned over on a rake, the other was looking over the roses, and in addition there were rose seeds that needed to be planted.

The two males turned, at the sound of apparition, Eclipse Blackthorne appeared with James Potter and Remus Lupin. The men watched on as Eden Blackthorne apparated with Lily Evans and Sirius Black. The six walked towards the two men, the boys and Lily were hauling some luggage that would last them for the summer whilst the twins were carrying their belongings from Hogwarts.

One man, well in his early forties yet aged very well, had a mop of black hair and a pair of curious hazel eyes, he is Killian Blackthorne. The second man had the same mop of black hair, long enough to be pulled into a bun and he had blue eyes. This man differed greatly from the first one, as he had quite the mess of scars across his face and the visible parts of his skin that weren’t hidden by his shirt, he is Fallon Blackthorne.

Eclipse waved her hand excitedly at the two men, quickening her pace and Eden followed right after her twin. The men waved back. When the boys had gotten closer, right after the twins, Remus stopped, James and Sirius as well— they recognized those kinds of scars, scars from a werewolf.

Lily turned back to them, questioning their halted movement with her bright green eyes. “It is rude to just stop and stare…”

The boys were definitely staring at the man with his scars but they finally closed the distance between them and the two men.

Fallon smiled, greets the three and Lily. He had that trustworthy kind of smile,” Got them from a rough chap, back in my days as an auror,” his deep voice startling the boys,” Greyback was his name. Though, I reckon, I got easier than you, son of Lyall Lupin.”

James and Sirius jumped, surprised that Fallon knew of Remus— who he never even met before this day.

Remus stiffened— he began to remember something that his father had told him before. Fallon Blackthorne was the only one who had actually believed his father and got into a horrible fight to protect some Ministry employees from Greyback— they were all fooled on the notion of him being a muggle. Fallon just knew better, he was able to identify liars like Greyback, as he had grown up in both muggle and wizarding worlds.

Greyback attacked, but he was in his human form when he had bit and scarred Fallon Blackthorne. Fallon retired afterwards, especially since the Ministry didn’t want to just admit that they were fooled by Fenrir Greyback— a werewolf. Afterwards, Fallon decided to stick to the ways of the muggle world, they were more honest, for his liking.

Eclipse giddily hugged her father. Killian chuckled, grabbing everyone’s attention. If it wasn’t known that the older brothers were separated in age by a year; the two definitely would have been mistaken as twins aside from their differing eye colors.

He smiled,” Nice to meet you lot, I see now why my daughters like you all so much.”

He hugged Eden as Eclipse then went to hug her uncle. “Welcome to the family home of Blackthorne.”

❊❊❊❊

After regaining their tongues, the boys had greeted the elder Blackthorne men. Eclipse and Eden then had taken them inside the large estate, going into a single hallway wing.

“Alright, Lily you can take this room, Eden and I are in the next room.”

Eclipse pointed out the rooms, Eden taking both hers and her twin’s luggage to store in their said room.

“You share a room together?”

Eclipse looked back at James, narrowing her eyes at him,” It is a big room.”

He shut up instantly.

She continued pointing, to the rooms across from Lily’s,” Prongs, Paddy and Moony, you can choose which rooms you want. All the same really, since they are guest rooms.”

Remus picked the closest and quickly stored his own luggage before rejoining Eclipse and Eden in the hallway. Lily doing the same after James had picked his own room.

Sirius was about to open the door to the last room in this hall, however a portrait caught his attention it was on the hall’s end wall. He stopped at it, it was a portrait of a woman. It was created when she was in her youthful years, the woman had the Blackthorne hair that was as black as night. Those eyes were as blue as Fallon’s.

“This is Octavia, our grandmother. Grandmother, meet Sirius.” Eden stood next to him.

The portrait looked down at Sirius. “Quite handsome… you’re a Black, are you not? I met your horrid mother once, dreadful woman, Walburga Black.”

Sirius smirked, chuckling, Octavia Blackthorne was already his favourite.

Octavia then looked down to Eden,” Eden, my dear, welcome back home.”

Eden smiled her thanks.

Eclipse waltzed over,” ‘allo, Octavia.”

The grandmother doted on Eclipse before moving on from the young Blackthorne.

“Ah, who is this?” Octavia was looking at Lily. “A muggle-born, are you? I’ve never seen such red hair in my life, how beautiful.”

Octavia also doted on Lily, the redhead was quite happy to find that someone else hadn’t minded her blood status.

“I suppose Grandfather Killian is somewhere else,” Eclipse suggested to Eden and the twins nodded simultaneously. James and Remus was also greeted by Octavia.

“My, my, a Potter!”

But when Octavia turned to Remus, she scrunched her face up,” You don’t look like one of Ambrose’ grandchildren… are you from another pack, my dear boy?”

Octavia recognized that Remus was a wizard but also a werewolf.

Eden turned around, grabbing Remus and pulling him away from Octavia’s sight. Eclipse ushered the rest out of the hallway.

“What was that?” James asked.

Eden shook her head, “Ambrose is our other grandfather, and he is the last living grandparent we have.”

Sirius made the connection,” He’s the one who wanted you to marry.”

Eclipse nodded. “Ambrose is old now, but the pack is going on strong.”

The six began to walk around the first floor of the Blackthorne mansion. It is a grand place, the luxurious furniture and extravagant paintings and other decorations that adorned the walls, floors and the ceiling.

“Who else lives here?”

Sirius thought the size of the home was quite ridiculous.

Eclipse smiled,” Who else? No one… but the rest of the family does come around in the summer time, sometimes.”

They were about to exit through the front door, to go outside and meet back with the twins’ father and uncle, but then Lily caught a glance on another portrait. She was in awe as she walked back to it.

“Eden, Eclipse… is this your mother?”

The twins turned to see that Lily had indeed found a portrait of Ezra but it wasn’t one that would reflect her personality— it was a simple moving one that captured Ezra’s beauty. The freckled woman was called upon to look at whoever called her, her amber eyes glowed with life and her smile was so breathtaking. Ezra Blackthorne was gorgeous in her prime.

Ezra and Eden were so alike in appearance, aside from Eden’s scar, it was practically heart stopping… and to think Eclipse would have looked exactly like them if it wasn’t for the curse that changed her as well.

“She’s beautiful…” Lily breathed.

Eden turned away from the portrait first, leaving to go outside.

Eclipse sighed,” She was.”

The air became dreary, James pushed his glasses back onto his nose bridge, Sirius brushed his hair with his fingers and Remus smiled sadly at the portrait.

“She was, wasn’t she?”

Eclipse smiled this time, but she felt like someone had broken her heart, her smile turned into a slant frown. After all, Eclipse had no memory of her mother like her twin— but sometimes, nothing was _better_ than something. It was “better” than having nightmares of reliving Ezra Blackthorne’s death over and over again, which was something that Eden did relive.


	23. Blackthorne Family

_she says nothing at all, but simply stares upward in the dark sky_

_and watches, with sad eyes, the slow dance of the infinite stars_

_— neil gaiman_

5 July 1977

Eclipse was planting the new rose seeds, grumbling about the heat. Sirius laughed, helping James dig other holes for Eclipse to plant the seeds in. Remus was inside with Lily, the two fixing up some lunch for the others. Fallon was hand watering the roses, alternating between helping his niece and the watering.

Eden and Killian had gone off to find some magical fertilizer.

“So, you just do this every summer?”

James smiled, minding that he didn’t wipe his dirty hands on his face and glasses, instead using his sleeve.

Eclipse smiled and nodded. “The summer heat is also the best for Eden.”

Eden’s ‘transformations’ were less painful in summertime heat.

Lily came out with Remus, carrying drinks and some sandwiches,” It is so nice, and your home is big— also Remus found the library.”

Remus nodded, very happy to find such a large collection.

Sirius hummed, looking at the forest, that was opposite from the rose field.

Fallon clicked his tongue,” Don’t think about it, son. The other Blackthornes live there, in the forest, and you don’t want them coming unless they are here for festivities.”

Sirius looked back at Fallon.

Remus took his turn to ask,” Are they not friendly?”

Fallon chuckled, nodding to the forest,” They are territorial and ol’ Ambrose is as stiff as anyone comes. I wager it be easier on you to not find yourself alone with ‘em, Remus. In fact, if you can, stick to Eden— they seem to fear her more than Killian.”

Fallon and Remus had come to form an odd relationship, the two spoke to one another as if they had been friends for years.

Sirius tilted his head, about to ask Fallon on why they were afraid of Eden, but he didn’t get to ask.

The booming sound of apparition was heard, Eden and Killian traveled towards the rose field, the two were chatting about something. But at the same time of their arrival, figures emerged from the forest.

The pack was coming.

❊❊❊❊

The first thing that was noticeable about the pack was that the old man and a younger one was leading them. The alphas. Eden and Killian arrived first, Eclipse protectively stood in front of Lily and Remus. Lily holds Eclipse’s hand and Eclipse grips it firmly. The wolf-eyed Blackthorne was always ready for a fight.

“The bloody hell is going on?”

Sirius was shushed quickly by Killian as the eight of them waited for the pack to approach fully. Fallon frowned, crossing his muscled arms across his chest as he stood, in front of Sirius and James, and next to Eden.

Her amber eyes glowed with a dangerous shade. She appeared healthier than ever, and despite her slender form, she could do some irreparable harm to others, if necessary.

The old man had a cane, for walking and possibly whacking others. The younger one had a smile that was wicked and evil— very different from Eclipse’s own chaotically good one. The rest of the pack was glancing and monitoring Eden, with unease, as if there was something Eden was hiding and they were scared of whatever it was.

“Good ol’ Ambrose, I see you haven’t croaked yet.”

Killian smiled, easily and confidently and Fallon smirked.

The grandfather smiled, irritation sparked at the informal greeting,” Killian, my lad, and seems you have some guests. My boys and I are simply curious of what strays that your daughters have brought in.”

Ambrose was a short, greying and wrinkling old man. At first glance, he seemed harmless, but it was his striking wolfish eyes that labeled him as dangerous. In fact, all of the pack had the same wolfish, yellow gold eyes— Eclipse had the matching colour, which was only recognizable as the Marauders and Lily had seen them many times over the course of the last several years.

“Why? Wanting to give them a warm welcome, grandfather, or do you want something from them?” Eden’s voice cut the tension between the two groups.

It was cold, and filled everyone’s veins with ice, she was on the defensive but it didn’t mean she wasn’t terrifying. But if there was one who wasn’t afraid of her it was the younger alpha.

“Still pretending to be a witch, are ya’, Eden Blackthorne?” He smiled.

He lost that arrogant sneer instantly when Eclipse countered just as coolly. “Still pretending to be the tough werewolf, are ya’, Cyril Blackthorne? Because I distinctly remember doing more damage to you, than you did to me.”

Some members of the pack snickered, Eclipse always had a way of making others laugh in such situations.

Ambrose brought his hand up, quickly silencing everyone. “Now, now. We are only here to greet our esteemed guests. Cyril still needs to be taught discipline, if he is going to keep the pack alive for the next decade— or he will bring the Blackthorne pack down to its knees.”

Ambrose’s eyes flashed dangerously, a warning to his grandson.

“But, if I am correct, I recognize that you have a werewolf in your group of misfits, Killian. May I see the boy?”

Remus jumped, stiffened behind Eclipse. Lily grabbed his hand as well.

Killian chuckled, darkly,” Remus, come, meet Ambrose. Ambrose, I do warn you though, if your boys even touch a hair on his head. It will not be me, you will face… but my daughter.”

Killian’s hazel eyes landed on Eden, and Eden smiled, a bubblegum smile that hid the darker parts of her. The pack stiffened, some backed away, the message was clear. No one wanted to fight her.

Remus slid in front, Killian putting a protective hand on his shoulder.

Ambrose greets Remus with a whispery ‘ah’, “I see Greyback still terrorizes the community of the wizarding world.”

Remus nodded.

James and Sirius stepped up next to Remus, and the entire pack backed away more from the sudden movement than the teenage wizards themselves. But no one moved or breathed when Eden and Eclipse steps up.

Eclipse starting, her wicked smile revealed,” Unless you are here to assist with the roses and are attending the contests we are holding up here with the other Blackthornes,” Eden finished,” you may stay, but if you are not: leave now.”

One of the pack, the older ones, stepped up, some of his friends following after. They grabbed some of the tools and began to work on the rose fields— they obviously had the experience. Cyril frowned, but shook his head and left with Ambrose— the rest of the pack returned to their domain in the forest.

Sirius breathed, wrapping his arm around Remus as James did,” That was tense, blimey…”

Killian and Fallon began to ease back into the work on the roses. James nodded and Remus is still as a statue.

Lily breathed finally, and sighed,” That was brave of you, James.”

The wild haired Potter looked at Lily, her compliment seemed to have adrenaline rushing through his entire body.

Eclipse smiled, wrapping her arms around the speechless James and Lily. “Yeah, yeah. Are you finally falling for Prongs, Lils?”

The two bickered playfully, Lily and Eclipse speed walking ahead of the rest.

Sirius noticed, and walked next to Eden, wrapping his hand around hers. “You alright, my heart?”

She was staring after the forest, her amber eyes lost their scorching fire when the pack retreated. Sometimes, she would slip into a daydream, seeing other version of how certain events would turn out. That faraway look sometimes would worry Sirius, he never quite knew how to get her to snap out of it completely.

She nodded. “That was brave, Sirius, and somewhat stupid. Cyril is dangerous, don’t get into a fight with him, you understand?”

He nodded, smiling and kissing her on the top of her head and the two walked after the others, hand in hand.

❊❊❊❊

13 July 1977

Eclipse and Eden finished with their part on the roses for the day, and they visited the willow tree on the small hill. Under the tree’s shade and hanging branches was a grave and a marker. Eclipse sat next to the marker. Eden had laid her head on her twin’s lap.

“Happy birthday, mother.”

Eclipse smiled, longingly, and Eden hummed softly as Eclipse ran her fingers through her sister’s hair. The marker read, ‘Ezra Sylvia Blackthorne, beloved daughter, wife and mother. A rose in a bush full of thorns’.

The two remained as still and quiet as any living being could achieve. Eden closes her eyes, and nearly falls asleep.

Eclipse simply brushes her fingers through Eden’s hair. “You think the veelas will come?”

Eden opens her eyes,” They always do. Besides, who wants to miss out on our wrestling contests?”

Eclipse smiles, looking down at Eden with adoration,” You think they’ll charm the boys?”

Eden closes her eyes, snorting,” If any of them swing _that_ way, maybe.”

❊❊❊❊

The veela Blackthornes indeed came, along with some of the muggle-related Blackthornes. Lily and the twins were amused, very much amused, watching from a safe distance when the boys were greeted by the twin’s male cousins who had descended from the veela Blackthorne bloodline. Where James and Sirius were probably traumatized by the cousins’ flirting, Remus was interested in learning French from them.

Lily met the muggle Blackthornes, Avery and Josephine— their parents had passed away recently, their aunt and uncle had come to the family gathering instead. Avery was tall and handsome, Josephine was short and had a heart-shaped face with a daring smile compared to her brother— they had originated from Egypt, and they spoke quite animatedly when Lily was curious about their culture.

This summer became interesting with the addition of the Marauders and Lily.

Sirius was hiding behind Eden, he even thought of transforming into his Animagus just to hide from the veela cousins. Eclipse snorted at the whimpering Sirius. Lily comforted James with a pat on his shoulder, Eden wiggled her eyebrows mockingly at her redheaded friend. Remus and Eden usually would hide in the Blackthorne library to read. And then Eclipse and the rest of the Marauders would have to drag the two bookworm’s out of the reading nest.

Honestly, though, what was the best way to end the summer with?

A Rose Festival on the last day, fireworks, and a full on fight-for-all between all the Blackthornes. It was perfect, and Lily Evans couldn’t have asked for more.

It was indeed the best summer of her life.


	24. Amor

_but that’s love, to give away everything, to sacrifice everything,_

_without the slightest desire to get anything in return_

_— albert camus_

7th year

15 September 1977

Lily’s smile widened,” What have you lot been doing all this time then, settling in?”

Eclipse snorted whilst Eden was reading. This year, their very last as students of the arcane and magical— the Marauders, Lily Evans, and the Blackthorne twins had sworn they wouldn’t waste a single waking moment.

James whispered something about pulling another prank, an outrageous one. “Maybe a confetti bomb right in the middle of Minnie’s office, but then again, she’d have our arses for garter.”

Lily had been elected as Head Girl and James as the Head Boy— Dumbledore saw to it himself, people have been anxious for them to finally get together, but just not yet. Lily Evans was not ready and James Potter would always wait for her. Though, when they finally would, they would be the power couple of the century— if Eden and Sirius didn’t beat them to it first.

“You lot are barking mad.” Lily had laughed, shaking her head.

Eden looks up from her book, looking Lily dead in the eyes,” We are certainly not, Sirius is though.”

The Marauders went still. Remus dropped his book, slipping from his slack hands, looking up at Eden with absolute shock. James had dropped his spoon into his soup, he shared the same horrified look with Sirius. Peter was again nowhere to be seen, he had been very distant since the beginning of their last year.

“My god… she did it. She made _the_ pun.” Sirius had whispered and gazed down at his piece of cake as though he didn’t know what to do with it anymore.

Eclipse all but burst out laughing, and wiping away her proud tears,” My twin is finally getting a sense of humour!”

Eden rolled her eyes, but her smile was the brightest.

❊❊❊❊

28 September 1977

Peter scurried out of the classroom with all haste and Eclipse was curious as to why he was suddenly avoiding his best friends. Eclipse noticed that he dropped a black book with golden metal tips on the book’s corners, she picked it up gingerly.

“Hey, Pete, you dropped your book, wait up!”

The Blackthorne jogged up to Wormtail and she offered him back his book.

His eyes widened at the sight of it, he proceeded to rudely and roughly snatch it from Eclipse’s hand. He then ran off at full speed. Eclipse stood in the hall bamboozled. But then suddenly, Eclipse had a strange feeling— that book landed with its pages revealed and the book had no writing in it. It was probably a diary, but why would Peter have a diary and not have already written in it?

How odd…

Eclipse however didn’t pay too much to the thought, Eden and Remus was in the hospital wing recovering from last night’s full moon and Eden’s condition was worsening— Eclipse was beginning to fear the worst for her twin.

❊❊❊❊

30 September 1977

James and Lily were leaning over a finished cauldron of amortentia together. Slughorn was impatient today, having assigned Lily, as she was his best student in Potions, to help James, who was hopeless in Potions.

“I can’t smell a damn thing!” James hissed lowly.

Lily scoffed,” Impossible, I’m sure I’ve done the potion right!”

James leaned away from it, pinching his nose. “Well, obviously not!”

The two began to bicker and snap at each other. The potion seemed to have a delayed effect or the potion had become botched.

Sirius and Eden began snickering, Eden had returned to classes much to Sirius’ relieved worries, but she now appeared with a ghostly paleness which unsettles many others. The two leaned over towards one another as if they were conspiring, and their own potion had already been finished and checked by Slughorn.

The Potions professor looked outright angry, now that Lily and James were arguing loudly.

James goes to sniff at the amortentia again, but the way his face scrunches up tells everyone around him, he still couldn’t smell anything.

“Well, perhaps, I could actually smell something, if you didn’t use buckets of conditioner this morning or having spent an obsessive amount of time in the rain for that Quidditch match!” Lily had snapped, she began to smell the effect of the potion.

“I wouldn’t be the one to talk, Evans, the amount of rose perfume you are wearing is giving me an asthma attack,” James retorted, as he sniffed at the potion again.

The comebacks and anger rises between the two, and half the class is both smirking and snorting themselves to death while the other half is willing to murder.

Lily stopped, as she realized that she ran out of perfume just yesterday because she had been sharing it with Eclipse, when the Blackthorne couldn’t seem to have find it on her own just before the school year started. Eclipse and Remus had finished their own potion, the two now watching Lily and James bicker as if it was their favourite show.

Sirius raises his eyebrows, along with a knowing smile from Eden when Sirius had brushed his hand against hers and wiggled his eyebrows at her. Nobody really paid attention when her fingertips laced with his for a couple seconds longer than what anyone would have thought as just a casual touch. Sirius leaned closer to her, their shoulders almost constantly bumping into each other with how closely they stood with each other.

Then James also seems to stop. He thought of this morning, of him not having showered at all since Sirius was the one who had hogged the dorm’s bathroom and he wouldn’t invade Lily’s privacy while she was in the Gryffindor’s Head bathroom. And after that, the Quidditch match had been hours past and the rain had stopped a long while ago.

James sighs, stopping Lily from her yelling at him more, and he goes to sniff at the potion again.

He had smelled parchment, the pages of books and ink, fruity shampoo that consisted of strawberries, raspberries and cherries, his mother’s cooking and his father who on occasion would smoke those cloverleaf cigarettes. He realizes that he could smell Lily; Lily who would read, write and laugh with Eclipse and Eden by her side. Lily, who over the years, her glancing over at James ranged from annoyance, irritation, toleration, and then acceptance— Lily knew that James Potter was in her life from now on and he wasn’t going to leave. Lily, Lily, _Lily_.

He faints from how strong the potion had become.

Sirius clucked his tongue in mock sympathy and Eden simply shook her head. Eclipse snorted and high fived a chuckling Remus.

Lily rolls her eyes when James fell to the floor but goes to smell the potion again.

This time however; she nearly melts and sighs— the potion finally seemed to have kicked in. Lily could smell faint cigarette smoke, the wood of broomsticks, her family’s homemade cake mixes, and James. James who would smirk, laugh and joke with his best mates— James who would look at Lily like she was his entire world, and the James that Lily had kissed once back in the summer near the rose field at the Blackthorne family mansion. He had smelled of roses, dirt, sweat and the magical fertilizer. James, James, _James_.

Lily also fainted.

❊❊❊❊

“What did you smell, Eden?”

The amber eyed witch flicked her eyes upwards to see Lily, she had been in the hospital wing for a total of fifteen minutes as she was still passed out from the effects of amortentia. Eden also knew that Eclipse sat on the opposite side of Lily’s cot. Eden returned to her reading.

Eclipse didn’t need to push her, the wolf-eyed witch watching her sister with a smile, Eden was simply thinking.

“Mother’s perfume, which you are wearing, aside from Lily’s own… books and ink, leather and firewhiskey…”

Eclipse smiled, she knew the last two as clear as day— Sirius loved his ‘punk rock’ leather jacket that Lily had given to him on his birthday and firewhiskey was something he could drink like a babe would with milk.

“But I smelt something else…”

Eclipse’s eyebrows raised,” What else could there be?”

Eden closed her book, staring at Eclipse but she had the same look as though she was seeing something else. “Something dusty… like a cupboard underneath stairs…”

Eden wasn’t sure what she was thinking of. But she had felt that this particular smell was something from another time— it was odd, dust wasn’t something she liked, she in fact abhorred it. The potion of love could never be fully explained, it had its own strange ways in the world of magic.

“A cupboard, you say?”

Eclipse tilted her head, rubbing her chin as she began to think of any time she has actually seen a cupboard underneath stairs.

“How odd…”

Eden nodded. Lily groaned, sitting up as she rubbed her head, she was awake now.

“Welcome back from your dream world, Lils.”

Said redhead rubbed her eyes, beginning to sleep talk about how she had an odd dream of fainting in her class.

James also had finally woken up from his amortentia-induced nap. “Bloody hell, are we in the hospital wing?”

The boy was still drunk on the scent of Lily Evans. Sirius and Remus laughed at James’ drool stained cheek and messy bed hair. Peter was nowhere to be seen.

❊❊❊❊

“Eden Blackthorne, what a _surprise_ to see you here.”

There he is, leaning against the pole of a street sign, that punk leather jacket bunched up in one fist as the other is in his jean pocket. Sirius Black cocks his elbow outwards as the amber eyed witch approached him. And there she is, in a thick, ankle long skirt of sheer and solid layers and one of those soft sweaters that she always obsessed about, his scarf of golds and reds adorns her neck.

Amusement lit those eyes that always pierced through him, delight lightens his heart as she accepts his arm. The softness of her sweater warms his bare forearms as his button up shirt was rolled up to his elbows, leaving him victim to the slight chill. They gravitated, leaning into one another.

“Indeed, though, I am fairly sure I was promised a date. Don’t quite know where that person went off too.”

The euphonious timbre of her voice always drew him in, her accent born of its Sicilian origins smooth and articulated in a way that could not be matched with his English one.

The two begin to stroll down the streets of Hogsmeade. People are bustling around them. Other students hooting and running amok as they try to make the most out of the time they have on this trip. The couple goes at their own pace, not matched by others and not quickened for others.

“Oof, don’t go bruising my ego, my heart.”

“Oh, you have a big enough ego for the whole lot of us, love. So, knocking it down a couple of notches will do you some good, I would hope.”

Sirius couldn’t hold his laughter in, he sucks in a deep breath and chuckles deeply. And it’s the laugh that can’t be stopped even with the strongest of wills. His shoulders shake and his hair covers his face as he leans to one side as he quakes in his joyful laughing. His hand covers the one that she has carefully folded around his arm.

Eden watches.

From the sidelines, anyone could see her. Mouth curved with a tender smile, eyes soft with brimming emotion. The tilt of her head, the swaying of her unbound tresses and the lingering brush of her fingers along his forearm. She adores him, it’s a wondrous sight.

Eden loves him.

There is a pressure at the base of her throat, a throbbing in her heart, a reminder of the inevitable. She doesn’t want to leave him, doesn’t want to leave her sister or her friends to future that she might never see.

But for now, to see him laugh, to know he is watching her, to be in love with him as he is with her. It is enough. And she feels sinful for wanting this to herself for just a little while longer, but she never cared for the consequences of wanting just him.

And so, she watches and she allows herself that selfish instinct to love him to continue.


	25. Divination

_for those who dream of stranger worlds_

7th year

2 October 1977

The divination teacher was an absolute nut, or that is what people think of her.

Imogen Justinia was over eight decades old by now, the greyed and wrinkled witch had witnessed too much of life. Having lived through the Second World War; the muggle one, having fought against the followers of You-Know-Who when he had rose to power and now plagued with visions that no one believes nowadays, the witch had lived in a dark era. Imogen should retire into a peaceful life for the rest of her days. Thing is, she refuses to— no one was willing to keep to the position as the professor for divination; she was waiting for the next teacher to appear.

Eden never seemed to mind how odd Imogen had become— in fact, Eden believed she would one day become just like the older witch. Those who could divine the future become senile and honestly, quite bitter. No one believes in the foretold future, because no one likes what they hear about the truth of their supposed future.

Today, Imogen was to teach her class crystal ball reading— also known as scrying.

Eclipse was paired up with Hufflepuff Rowen Withers, the wolf-eyed Gryffindor blushed and attempted to not sit too close to Rowen. The young wizard thought that she didn’t like him— it was very much the opposite.

Eclipse tried not to keep ogling at him, Rowen was actually quite attractive, with his green-blue eyes and head of untamed dark brown hair, he was also Hufflepuff’s Seeker— she fancied him, but she was all too shy to approach him. Rowen Withers was a muggle-born wizard, not that she cared about his blood status. And he was as handsome as anyone could come, in her eyes.

When the two had first met, they were against each other in Quidditch, Eclipse was the one who saved him from a headshot; a bludger coming straight at that head of his. Rowen ever since respected her and quite honestly, he liked her wicked smile and chaotic attitude. Rowen had a younger sister and he was in awe of the way Eclipse and Eden were so close to each other.

He was a bit of a wall-flower, when concerned with the opposite gender, he was too weak-hearted to approach such a beautiful girl.

Eclipse was after all, a ‘pureblood’ witch. She who had wolf like eyes and had waist-long thick, night black hair, which was impossible to tame into a braid or ponytail, her ties always snapped. She was planning on cutting her hair short, maybe in the nearby future. She was also equipped with a smile that had charmed so many before him. He had thought that he had no chance with such a wild and breathtaking witch.

He just needed to gain the courage to approach him, or she could do it herself— when she controlled that daring heart of hers to stop beating so loudly when Rowen was this close to her.

Sirius and Eden had been paired as Lily and James had been. Remus was with Pandora, the doe-eyed witch seemed to see something Remus didn’t.

Lily finds divination as completely unnecessary, and she didn’t truly believe in it, but she can’t deny that Eden’s talent in divination was strong. Especially since Eden has seen things that no one alive should have witnessed.

Imogen begins her instruction,” Now, clear your minds and look into your crystal ball— don’t concentrate, allow your minds to fill itself.”

She began to walk around the room, giving some tips. “Good, good, my dear boy…”

When she approached a scoffing Slytherin, she reassured them,” Please try again…”

Lily did try, or attempt to, but she didn’t get it. She didn’t understand the true concept of divination, not fully at least. James was becoming red in the face with concentration, he wanted to impress Lily. It shimmers, slightly, and Imogen comes racing forward.

“Yes! Keep going, my dears!”

Lily goes to concentrate, grinding her teeth.

The crystal begins to show an image. Lily and James are confused. They both hear the cries of an infant. Lily can’t see much of it. James however, sees the image of the babe clearly and he notices that the boy has hair as dark as his yet his eyes are as green as Lily’s beautiful green ones.

Lily sighs,” I don’t see anything, professor.”

Imogen simply smiled at them, wordlessly, and walked away to look at the other pairs.

When James looks up to the back rows where he can find Eden, she smiles as the devil would have. She knew who the babe was. James bit his lip, and smiled, he continued to look at the crystal ball, it quite literally held his future. The redhead he was so in love with, looked at him in confusion— he was smiling cheekily as he continued gazing at the babe with green eyes. His arm wrapped itself around Lily’s shoulders and the redhead didn’t even squint at him, she only rolls her eyes and flicks his nose in a playful matter.

Sirius doesn’t see anything in the ball, he leaned back and groaned.

Eden lightly poked fun at him,” You are trying too hard, Sirius. But it is fine, there is nothing in the future for you just yet.”

He looked to her, smiling his charming smile and sliding his arm around her waist,” What about you, my heart?”

Eden simply smiled, looking into the crystal ball. It shimmered for her and she paled to a deathly alabaster shade. Her heart catches in her throat, her eyes seeks Eclipse, who is all but too drawn towards Rowen’s laughter.

Sirius didn’t notice as he was teasing Remus, apparently he had seen pink hair but not the person who had said pink hair. Eden didn’t say anything, as her scrying gifted her with the sight of something she would have never guessed at. Eden clearly remembered that no one, not even Ezra Blackthorne, would ever see into their own futures— no one _should_ see such an event. It was almost taboo in some sense.

Her own death.

Eden closed her eyes, allowing the scrying to stop. Imogen, however, had seen it and sharply gazed at the girl who was so gifted in divination.

❊❊❊❊

15 October 1977

“I was thinking about it… Joining him…”

Regulus guiltily admitted to the one who sat next to him in the deepest corner of the great library. His hands are sweaty, heart racing, but his eyes steadily shifted to look to her. Amber eyes looked into his gray ones. There he finds one more grain of courage, he relishes in that. She always did have a way to keep convincing him to keep himself above waters and to continue to grow stronger.

Regulus Black was a sixth year, with more than enough intelligence to be a seventh, he had grown into his awkward lanky limbs— now a tall, young man. He had the muscle development that he required and developed for Quidditch, he grown into someone handsome with his dark brushed hair and his smoke gray eyes. And everyday, he looked a little more closer to his older brother.

However, if anyone had known him more personally, he was a boy who didn’t have the courage to find his own path. He always shamefacedly thought himself as some leech, trying to feed off her so he could continue on his path, the one he could forge with his own hands. He just never knew that she wanted him to do so much more and that she would have gladly let himself take her strength for his own, if it meant that he would continue on his own path.

Eden slowly laid her hand on his, as to not frighten him,” I will not tell you to not. It is your choice. But if you do, he is someone who will kill you, if you do not serve him loyally. He only wants power… Once you do, you cannot run from him.”

Her eyes betrayed her, she had adored the younger Black, her eyes also revealed her desperation to protect him from such darkness. Eden had already lost someone to this war— she was not yet ready to lose any more.

Regulus looked out to the window roaming over the skies, the Forbidden forest tree tops, or the open fields at the side of the castle, his gray eyes searching for something that he could not yet see. But his fingers can’t help themselves, they grip onto her and squeezes it firmly.

The amber eyed witch squeezed his hand back, returning to read her book so she can try to ignore the distant, agonized screams of some far away event meant to happen at a later time. They are screams that sound an awful like Regulus, they rip into her heart, fraying it just a little more with each second that pass.

She squeezes his hand just a little tighter along with her book. And she wonders, wonders if she is the one who is the true leech.


	26. Them

_Stars got tangled in her hair_

_whenever she played in the sky_

_—laini taylor_

7th year

20 October 1977

Eden and Sirius was playing Für Elise, a completed piece from Beethoven. They had somehow synced to the point of making it seem like a duet— it was beautiful. The two were in their own world as they played. The Marauders, Eden and Lily had gathered in the Room of Requirement, Peter was again nowhere to be seen.

Lily was in absolute awe.

Eclipse smiled,” Our grandparents insisted on us playing the piano. All Blackthornes know how to play…”

James leaned on Eclipse shoulder,” What about you?”

Eclipse snorted. “Of course, but Eden actually loves it.”

It was true, it felt as though music would keep away all evil— Eden played with her heart and more. Sirius played with skill, years’ worth from being in the household of Black, but with Eden he had played with his heart just as well. The two looked at one another, smiling and they continued to play the symphony with skilled fingertips on the monochrome keys of the pianoforte.

Für Elise came to a slow end. Sirius and Eden leaned on each other, Eden laying her head on his shoulder and his head laid on hers. She wanted to stay here, in this moment, forever.

Lily, who was still in awe, was then gently bumped by James’ elbow.

“Evans, will you go on a date with me?”

The redhead looked at the wizard with glasses and wild hair, she smiled which would make Eclipse proud of the wicked smirk Lily had. “Alright, Potter, one date. Let’s see from there.”

Lily knew that it would come to this eventually, so she was going with the flow. At first James doesn’t process it correctly, his mouth was open by a sliver and his eyes became glassy. James mistakes it as her saying no, about ready to accept that he would never be with Lily Evans.

“She said yes, you git,” he had been startled, when Eclipse roughly nudged him.

He stood up, shouting in his excitement,” Yes! Padfoot, Moony, did you hear that?! She said yes!”

Lily snorted as she and Eclipse watched James fling himself about in his excitement.

Sirius snorted as he wrapped his arm around Eden’s waist.

❊❊❊❊

31 October 1977

The Hogsmeade trip was today, Lily and James were going on their first official date. Eclipse didn’t see them off. They had left, with smiles and an overly excited James Potter. The Marauders, even Peter following after them, but this was excluding Eclipse.

The wolf-eyed Blackthorne was in the library— she never came to the library alone but this time she had. She was looking at moon charts. She was flipping through hundreds of pages, she cursed every time she didn’t find anything she was looking for.

Eden’s condition was worse than ever. The twins made the conclusion that Eden’s time was coming to an end. They needed to break this curse, and needed to break it fast. They wouldn’t ruin this time for their best friends… they were on their own.

Eden was still in the hospital wing, she was in such pain that she had become violent— she had clawed at her own skin during the last full moon, Remus didn’t even know of her entry to the hospital wing for the following day.

Eclipse was forced to turn Eden into the hospital wing, no one else knew except Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey. For most of the day, Eden was sleeping. But then Eden had come back to consciousness, later on in the day.

Eclipse was there, visiting her sister to make sure she was alright— Eden had pulled her twin close, frightening both Madam Pomfrey and Eclipse, and whispered to her,” Moon charts.”

The amber-eyed Blackthorne had seen something and was now telling the wolf-eyed Blackthorne, Eclipse knew it then. Eden fell into a coma-like slumber afterwards.

Eclipse has never run so fast, to the library, in her entire seventeen years of life.

Regulus Black and Rowen Withers watched Eclipse Blackthorne recklessly flip through a thousand years’ worth of full moons and their chart dates.

The two boys looked to one another, worry clouding their eyes but continued to help with her finding whatever it is she was looking for. Rowen was in the dark, but he still helped because he had been in the library when he been surprised with Eclipse bursting in like a madwoman set on murder. Regulus didn’t say much, just continued to help Eclipse find whatever book she needed— even one on blood curses, which had him blanch on instinct but he kept going to help.

Eclipse stopped suddenly, gaining the two’s attention. Eclipse glanced at the pile of books to one side, then grabbed two books from the pile that she had said wasn’t what she needed. She didn’t care as the other books toppled over, she opened the books and then fingered back a few pages to a full moon chart book that was back from five hundred years. The other a thousand years.

“My god…” She had looked at the three books altogether, her hands falling to her sides, in silence.

The book on curses and the two full moons she had opened didn’t make sense to the boys as they leaned over to it. She smiled, breathing like it was her first breath in the three hours she spent in the library for her sister. The answer was now so clear.

Eclipse Blackthorne now knew why there had been no Blackthorne twins for the last five hundred years. One of the last twins had died from the Killing Curse— he had either sacrificed himself or had been murdered by it. Eclipse remembered reading the family tree book back at the Blackthorne family mansion, the last twins died during a full moon— an Unforgivable Curse had put a crack in the sister’s curse.

But the another part of the truth was that the sister’s blood curse had been cast on a full moon, and that full moon was the same as the one when the twins had died from the Killing Curse. And that full moon was going to be this year’s winter full moon.

The timing was _perfect_.

Only someone with such powerful magic could ‘crack’ a curse— the twins now needed someone who had powerful magic to completely obliterate the curse.

❊❊❊❊

During the month of November, Eden was more alive than ever; like a moon to a starless night, she was so bright. On Sirius’s eighteenth birthday, they had danced like there was no tomorrow and the two had watched the stars on the top of the Astronomy tower. Eden kissed Sirius like it was their last, not that Sirius knew that.

Eclipse had suggested a free-for-all pranking war, between the Marauders. Eden and Lily had participated— and beat them all with Eclipse’s help. The boys never underestimated the girls again.

Finally, Rowen Withers had gained the courage to admit his ever-growing feelings to Eclipse Blackthorne. November was the time of their lives— so far.

But if there was ever a time that Sirius Black was the most dramatic and romantic: it was the moment when he had proposed to Eden Blackthorne. Because they were young and so in love, despite what others thought… there wasn’t supposed to be a war or a stupid blood curse in their way, it was just supposed to be them and being happy.

And despite all the times Sirius didn’t want to admit it— Eden didn’t have all the time in the world as everyone wanted to believe.

Lily Evans taught Sirius Black how to weave flower rings, he had spent hours on being able to perfect twining the flower stems into rings, Lily smiled as she had seen how dedicated he was to it.

After many hours of observing some of Sprout’s homegrown flowers, he had found the perfect ones to make into a ring. Lily didn’t question it; she had known he was doing this for a certain amber eyed Ravenclaw.

The day had come, on that chilly November day— the six strongly bonded friends were all gathered on the shore. Peter seemed to have something urgent and left them. He no longer had the time to spend time with his best mates, Eclipse had spotted the same diary that he dropped and held. Yet, again, she paid no attention to it.

Eden was reading a book, with Remus on one side and Sirius on the other.

The eighteen year old Black nervously toyed with the ring in his pocket. Eclipse had laid her head on her twin’s lap and was playing with Blaire, the ocelot seemed to notice Sirius’ off behaviour. Those dark chocolate eyes always watched Sirius, every nervously drawn breath, twitch of his fingers, the brushing of his hair back. That ocelot had a serious all-seeing mind.

James and Lily were fighting but their laughter took out all the sincerity from their threats. James had joked,” Careful, Evans, I might just fall out of love with you.”

Lily had laughed outrageously. “Sure, Potter.”

Everyone in Hogwarts knew that Lily Evans had James Potter by the balls, and neither were going to slip from each other’s fingers— they were just destined for each other as Eden said. Though the two laughed about it, they never denied in when she had said.

Sirius wordlessly, and gently, slid the ring on Eden’s finger. He had charmed it to last a lifetime. The ring consisted of three blue flowers and their stems, he had twined them together expertly with Lily’s help. Eden looked at it curiously and wiggled her fingers, book seemingly forgotten.

Everyone had stopped, to stare and watch the entire thing.

Sirius then whispered, licking his dry lips,” Eden Blackthorne, my heart, marry me.”

Sirius Black would never forget the look of her face— one of pure surprise and she had absolutely adored it, she adored him.

He had thought everything would be alright, through the war and the blood curse, as long as she had smiled the way she had when he declared his love for her.


	27. For Now

_how strange_

_to dream of you_

_even when_

_I am wide awake_

7th year

24 December 1977

Sirius held Eden’s hand, rubbing his thumb in a circular motion as the two leaned on another. Eden felt something, as though something clicked into place; a missing piece finally being put where it belongs— she remained still.

The seven were sitting in the Astronomy tower, watching the sun slowly vanish from the horizon, together. Everyone, all the five Marauders, Lily and Eden, decided to stay together on the winter break— fully coincidental as it was their last Christmas together in their school years.

Tomorrow was the full moon.

❊❊❊❊

It was still Christmas Eve, on the cusp of becoming Christmastime. Eden was the first one to wake up, the night sky was visible now and the stars shining brightly, something was wrong. The magic she had casted on Lily’s necklace, it was now active. Lily was in danger.

Eclipse was the second one to wake up, wearing the same look on Eden’s. The twins woke up the rest of the Marauders. In their sleep-haze path of going to find Lily, no one noticed that Peter was gone.

The magic from the necklace directed them to the Forbidden Forest.

❊❊❊❊

Eden’s breathing was heavy, heavy as the others when they were running, running to an opening in the midst of the Forbidden Forest. Lily was there, on the ground blinking and she couldn’t move. She had been hit with a paralyzing spell.

But she wasn’t alone. A wizard, with his black robes wrapped around him, stood close and is looming over Lily. He was handsome, dark and slightly curled hair and his dark green eyes, but it was his sneering smirk that broke any illusion for being attractive.

“Ah, I see you all have come, but don’t worry, I am not hear to kill your little _muggle-born_ witch here.” He scowled at the way the word had tasted on his tongue.

Eden breathed heavily, Eclipse’s wolf eyes was sharp as she continued to watch the wizard who stood over Lily. It was You-Know-Who, he was Voldemort.

James’ impulse had him brandishing his wand, Remus reached over to stop him when the Dark Lord had looked to Lily with a controlling grin. Move and the consequences would be on Lily. Sirius was more than ready to throw himself over Lily.

But nothing of the sort happened, Eden had made her move first.

Eden startled everyone in the gathered opening, whilst the grinning shade attempted to speak, she charged right at him. Eclipse wanted to follow after Eden, but Remus held her back.

“No!” Eclipse cried out, she had reached out to her twin.

Eden’s entire body felt on fire, the piece that had once clicked had tugged at her roughly, she snarled and felt her skin ripping itself apart as she launched herself at him. The piece was the curse— she answered to the moon willingly.

Before he could even cast a nonverbal killing curse or before he could even attempt to propose what he wanted, Eden wouldn’t let him any moving room and she had pushed him with all her mortal strength. He falls back, but before he lands on the ground, Eden grabbed his robed figure and flings him away from Lily, to protect Lily; it was the only thing on her mind.

When he stands up to and moves to brandish his wand, Eden was standing right in front of him and Eden is no longer human. She stood with the grace of her human form, as though she would have brandished her own wand, but no. She is a werewolf, grey skin and black fur that covered her body, equipped with claws to rip flesh apart and sharp teeth to rip out throats.

Voldemort scowled, attempting to back away as his face contorted to that of disgust.

She couldn’t understand why, but she remembered who she was and remembered that this one was the enemy. She doesn’t allow Voldemort any more breathing room. She slashes at his face.

He hisses,” Filthy half breed!”

He backs away, covering his bleeding face with one hand, Eden allows him.

She watches with the eyes of the wolf, she watches as he lifts his wand and she can hear her beloved friends yelling for her. Lily was able to move, but James was holding her back— the redhead weeping at the thought of losing Eden.

He had cast the killing curse,” Avada Kedavra,” he used all his hate and something in his voice indicated that somehow he had been betrayed, that whatever he wanted he wasn’t going to gain.

Eden had deflected it and the spell blasted a tree apart, but in slow motion— something with a reddish glint had been mixed along with the Killing Curse. Remus flinched, Eclipse stopped struggling against Remus, and she had felt the breaking of the curse as well. Something had cracked and s _hattered_ in herself. She felt a lightness like nothing else. She breathes in a newfound freedom deep in her lungs, tears springing to life at the corners of her eyes.

Lily and James stopped, eyes widening as they realized that Eden had just _deflected_ the curse like it was a bludger coming straight at her. Sirius breathed, and he fell to his knees, he didn’t realize how his heart nearly stopped when Eden could have been hit with the spell directly.

With horror on his face, after seeing that the curse had just been deflected and not absorbed by Eden. In her wolf form and not her human form, where she had access to her magic, Voldemort knew he wouldn’t be able to win in this fight against her. He scowled, still holding his bleeding face and disapparated. A silence ensued, but cut quickly.

Eden’s heavy breathing slowed, her chest halted from having to take such deep breaths, she howled to the moon. Eclipse scrambled towards her sister, crying out for her. Eden looks to her twin, yellow gold eyes turning back to an amber pair, she falls to her knees and whimpers. Eclipse catches her sister from falling backwards, laying her sister’s head on her lap.

It was the Room of Requirement all over again, but Eden had transformed, for the first time in all these years, and the moon wasn’t even full. There was still an half an hour to midnight.

Eden’s body rippled and shivered, her body transforms back as though the werewolf was an illusion and it slipped away from her like water. Her clothes were ripped, but for now, no one cared. The others rush over, Lily already crying and Sirius couldn’t seem to stop his tears from falling.

“You’re going to be alright. You’re going to be alright.”

Eclipse was whispering more to herself than to her wheezing and whimpering twin. Eclipse was struggling to keep herself together. But she stopped, as Eden gently laid her hand on her sister’s own.

“It is the end of line, Eclipse.”

Eden breathes in heavily, wheezing as her body began to spasm some more.

“But the curse is gone, I felt it. You should have too; when I deflected that killing curse… but you know what I really did… didn’t you, dear sister?”

Eclipse nodded,” You had the sister’s curse collide with _his_ killing curse, before allowing yourself to deflect it. It only makes sense, a displacement— a switch between the two forms and curses… it just depended on how powerful the killing curse would have been… the sister’s curse is over.”

Eden sighed,” You know it was more than that… A thousand years under the blood curse, it is crippling even if we are the descendants of the cursed.”

Eclipse sobbed, and hugs her sister closer to her body,” I am not ready to lose you.”

Lily sobs as she hugs James. Sirius grabs Eden’s hand, the one that still wore their engagement flower ring. Remus begins to hold Sirius back.

“You know what you have to do,” Eden squeezed Sirius’ hand back as she looked up to her twin.

Eclipse trembled, tears dropping from her chin in large drops,” Let us hope you’ll wake up healthy and alive, Eden Blackthorne…”

Remus sobbed but continued to hold Sirius back from disrupting Eclipse’s spell. The wolf-eyed Blackthorne brandished and pointed her wand.

Eclipse didn’t whisper out the spell at all, the magic simply came to be as if on its own volition. Slow tendrils reached out to Eden.

Eden opened her eyes, taking a long look to absorb everything about her sister, to remember her— for some reason she remembered the oddest thing just before the spell had been cast.

**Eden Blackthorne was the first born, from Ezra’s womb on the ninth of June, in the year of nineteen sixty, and the very first thing she had seen was her twin sister, Eclipse Blackthorne. The two were born within minutes from each other. Ezra had sobbed, from happiness or sorrow, seeing her twin daughters and Killian and Fallon stood in silence, shedding their own tears.**

Eden closed her eyes, a tear forming and spilling. But she wasn’t giving up yet, she had so much to do.

The very last thing Eden Blackthorne had seen, in the year of nineteen seventy seven on that freezing night of December, was her twin sister, Eclipse Blackthorne.

The spell was cast, shimmering over her body and encasing her with protection to last a lifetime.

Eden Blackthorne fell into a deep slumber.


	28. A Different Time

_you’re not dead but you’re not alive either_

_you’re a ghost with a beating heart_

25 August 1991

She awakened, sucking in a deep breath. With closed eyes, yet all her other senses seemed to have been enhanced, even though the curse was long gone, she sat up. When she opened her eyes, revealing amber orbs to the world again, the one who was waiting by her side was Blaire. The ocelot softly purrs as Eden finds herself on shaky legs.

“Blaire…”

Yet through all the confusion of finally waking up, she began to move. Blaire mewled gently to urge his witch onwards. What year was it? Where was Eclipse? Where was Lily Evans?

Eden Blackthorne ventures to the door of the Room.

But before she exits, she lays her hand on the door, flat out, and whispers,” Thank you. For all this time.”

The Room seemed to have groaned, it was a sound of mourning and yet it sounded as though it had greeted her back to this world.

When she took her last step out, exiting the Room, about to allow the door to close in on itself; its interior reformed. An arch of every flower known to both worlds; it brought on a memory to Eden, a memory of sadness.

**A weeping Eclipse supported by Lily Evans, and four shadow like beings.**

**“Take care of her…”**

**All of them have discovered that the Room of Requirement hid Eden away on its own, she is where all vanished objects go.**

Eden knew then: she had lost some parts of her memories. The preservation spell had done its work, saving Eden’s life, but the price for avoiding death was Eden’s own memories. She grits her teeth and turns on her heels to walk down the hallway, Blaire leading her.

❊❊❊❊

Blaire set the pace, but it seemed as though Eden was the one who moved faster. She takes longer strides, she noticed small changes to the interiors and exteriors of Hogwarts. Her night black hair whips around as she continues to spot the changes that were never there before— she walks faster. Where was everyone? She notices that the air was cooler, cooler than summer but warmer than winter, it was the fall season maybe.

But yet all she could think of was the blaring silence. The connection she had with Eclipse, the thin line and buzz that told of each other’s presence was gone. Was she alone in this new time? Was Eclipse alive? Was Lily Evans alive? Eden began to run, run to a place she felt that was where someone or anyone would be.

❊❊❊❊

When Eden forces the great doors open and enters, all the teachers were shell-shocked. She walks down the room, the four tables for each house was still organized the same way she remembered.

The professors stood still, silent as Eden Blackthorne made her way to the head table that was set in front of the Great Hall. She stopped, standing in front of old and new professors to Hogwarts. Eden confirmed that time indeed has passed, she curls her hands into fists.

“Hello, professors… what year is it? How long have I been asleep?”

Professor Sprout, who has obviously aged much, had fainted at the sight of young Eden Blackthorne— the poor woman fell flat onto the floor. Severus Snape had blanched, flinching away at the sight of her— she was alive after all this time, not that she seemed to have noticed his older self.

No professor spoke— they all thought that she was a ghost in more solid form.

McGonagall was the least shocked,” Blackthorne… come.”

The greying witch led Eden to Dumbledore’s office. Eden was silent, where was her twin sister?

❊❊❊❊

Eden sits on the chair, having arrived in Dumbledore’s office. The old wizard was seated at his own desk as McGonagall stood next to Eden.

“My twin? Lily? Are they alive?”

 _Headmaster_ Dumbledore wrings his hands out and shook his head remorsefully. Eden closed her eyes, and squeezed her hands into fists again— she felt like exploding. She had been gone too long.

“You have been asleep for nearly fourteen years now, Lady Blackthorne… Voldemort rose to power once more. The Order did all they could, but it was too much. He was too powerful…”

“Lily Potter and James Potter had a child. The Order had to hide both the Potters and Longbottoms from him. Eclipse had _passed_ , battling against Voldemort himself, attempting to finish what you had started. To protect Lily and James Potter, and their child Harry James Potter… I am sorry.”

Eden stilled completely. McGonagall scowled, going to scold Dumbledore for admitting such information in a callous way— she, however, stopped when she noticed the edge in Eden is lost.

Eden had leaned over her chair and rubbed her face, “In the end… my twin sister is dead. Lily Evans is dead, along with a man I do not know… but those two had a child, who had survived Voldemort.”

She sighed, lowly. “Is there anything else I should know? If not…”

Dumbledore quickly halted her from standing up,” Harry James Potter is also your godson, Eden Blackthorne.”

Eden glared at Dumbledore, surprised and quite honestly outraged. This time she stood up completely, in the sudden and forceful movement she had toppled over the chair. It realigned itself back to its four legs when Dumbeldore waved at it.

“Why me? Why would Lily Evans make me her son’s godmother?”

Dumbledore stops, McGonagall looks to Eden with astonishment. Eden brushes her piano nimble fingers through her hair in frustration.

Merlin, Eden never liked children and certainly didn’t want any. Perhaps because of her own childhood, never having grown up with her mother’s guidance— she had ultimately feared the curse and feared that she would have passed down the curse to another pair of twins.

“Do you not remember your time here in Hogwarts?”

Eden sat back down in her chair, defeated, and nodded. Dumbledore glances over to McGonagall.

“You do not remember your best friends? Or Sir—”

McGonagall’s word cut short when Dumbledore brought his hand up, he didn’t not want the older witch to mention whoever she was about to speak of.

Eden simply shook her head,” I do not remember, I only remember my first year. I befriended Lily Evans… my sister and I were worrying over my “transformations”. But I remember that our curse has been broken— Eclipse was there, she cast the preservation spell…”

McGonagall gently laid her hand on Eden’s slouched shoulder.

But Dumbledore hums,” I recall that you had quite the proclivity for divination, am I not wrong?”

Eden nods as confirmation.

Dumbledore disappears to the second floor of his office and briskly returns with something in his hand. He handed a blank and thick bind of parchment to Eden, and when she touched it: nothing happened.

She shakes her head, but then she looks at it with those lost amber eyes that used to shine so brightly, something clicked in her mind. She has seen this object before, but the question was: where and when? She glares at it with concentration and the memory slaps her in the face.

She looks at it with lit eyes now, and she whispers,” I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…”

Dumbledore and McGonagall watches in stunned silence.

It was the Marauder’s Map, and it reveals itself, but across its length it read,” Welcome back, Eden Blackthorne… sincerely by Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and Lady Luna.”

Eden breathed, her tears brimming, she knew exactly who Luna was.

It was Eclipse, the two never had been able to figure out a nickname that would come from ‘Eclipse’ alone, so as a joke it became ‘Luna’ from lunar eclipse. Something nagged at Eden’s heart, especially when she read over Padfoot. But something seemed to flare up, in anger, as she read Wormtail.

She didn’t speak. Eden’s tears finally spilled as she closed her eyes and shamelessly wept in front of Dumbledore and McGonagall. In the end, nothing came out of it. Eden’s power at divination was gone, or it was more of in a pause; this period of time wasn’t her own and it wasn’t hers to be able to divine.

Gingerly, lays the Map down onto the table as she whispered,” Mischief managed.”

Eden stands up, ready to leave, seeing as to how there was nothing left to be said, but Dumbledore proved her wrong once more.

“There is one last thing, you might have wanted to hear, Ms. Blackthorne. The werewolves, no one knows where they had come from, but when the battle was coming to an end, the werewolves saved what remained of the Order from Voldemort.”

She gazed at Dumbledore, her eyes were once more lost to sorrow and he could tell that she was seeing something else.

For the first time in her life, Eden _predicted_ , she never had to. But now, she had, and she predicted a future of darkness.


	29. The Boy Who Lived

_i searched a thousand forevers_

_for you, only you._

_— perry poetry_

2 September 1991

‘Why was this kid so small? So skinny?’

Eden had thought, ‘He shouldn’t be so skinny and small.’

She knew malnourishment, she had helped people who suffered from eating disorders, at Mungos in the summertime, when she wasn’t helping her father on the roses.

Harry Potter had been flirting with the line of near death by starvation, it was a good thing he had come to Hogwarts.

Or maybe it was because, the two were separated vastly by Eden as a seventeen year old witch who had inherited her tallness from both her parents and Harry was an eleven year old wizard who only stood a little over her elbows. It would be natural to think him as small as he is due to his age.

For an unknown reason, Eden began to think about the man who Lily would have been in love with. Eden felt as though that James Potter wouldn’t be so scrawny when he had been Harry’s age.

James would have been tall, and well fed, not so skinny. When older, he would be broader, so much stronger and he had the reckless streak when it came to his friends. He was someone who could hands down win in a fight against anybody, even without magic. Harry somehow reminded Eden about a kicked puppy.

‘What a sudden thought’, she had mused at herself.

Harry was uneasy. He was looking at someone he had seen in a picture that was retrieved from his parents’ home, in Godric’s Hollow many years ago. In fact, there were more of her and her twin, when Hagrid gave a box full of pictures to him when the two had finally settled down at the train station. All those pictures of Harry’s parents and some group pictures of their friends.

She hadn’t aged a day in the any of the photographs, and she had the kind of look that said she wouldn’t tolerate nonsense from anyone, even from a kid like him. He had asked his aunt and uncle on who the beautiful black haired and amber and gold eyed twins were, but they didn’t know, Harry was always curious about them. How could twins not share the same freckles or the same eye colours?

And now, he was finally meeting someone who was from his parents’ past.

Eden gestures for him to sit down on the bench next to her, and he gladly does. She smiles at him, it was possibly the warmest and kindest he has ever seen and been on the receiving end of it. He likes her immediately.

“Lily told me about her non-magical sister and family, how’s living with Petunia working out for you?”

Eden attempted to jest, and it had earned Harry’s laughter, however it brought up the subject of his living conditions.

“She is fine, but it is my cousin that is absolutely dreadful.”

Eden’s eyes saddened when Harry went to ask her, the feeling of knowing what comes next wasn’t entirely gone from her.

“I was just wondering…” Harry fumbles with his fingers and pulls at the end of his uniform shirt.

Eden sighs.

“Dumbledore told me… Though, I can’t quite remember or know why your mother would have made me one as your godparent, Harry. And I’m sorry to say, but with the war and my being in the preservation spell: I lost my own family, my sister, along with the Blackthorne rights.”

He sighed, he had half accepted that that was the case for Eden’s predicament and his chance of freedom from the Dursleys.

Eden continued, “I have to go and retrieve my lost home— though while I still have the inheritance, I will need to do it legally. But maybe, when I do, you could live with me… when you don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Eden gently patted his hand and he had smiled, returning a warm and cheeky grin.

Hope burned in the green eyes Harry had been born with, another reminder of what Eden had lost. It hurt her to not remember the man, one of Eden’s named best friends, that Lily had this presently scarred child with— it hurt her that she couldn’t even remember why she wore this flower ring on her ring finger.

Eden kept by Harry’s side. She had met his newly acquired friends, and she seemed more like an older sister to the lot of them.

By the end of the day, Eden Blackthorne became newly acquainted with the world that she would now live in. Everyone heard rumours about her, having fought You-Know-Who and survived just _barely_ — she was beautiful but odd, and she smiled like the devil and had eyes like a hawk. She gained a new title as well.

The Living Ghost of Ravenclaw.

❊❊❊❊

5 September 1991

It did not take too much effort on Eden’s part to research about the years that have passed.

Eden learned of the Potters’ untimely death, at such young ages of twenty-one on the Halloween of 1981. Harry Potter was dubbed as the ‘Boy Who Lived’— it was celebrated all over the world as You-Know-Who’s defeat and death. Harry but an infant at that time, and now bore the scar to prove such a momentous event.

But before that, she read reports from the Order— graciously accepted from Dumbledore himself, and she read about them all. There was some parts missing, mostly likely confidential even from her, not that she minded.

She had more than enough information from it. She read the missions, read who was sighted as You-Know-Who’s followers and how the Muggle world had been affected. She learned of the deaths: Prewetts, McKinnons, Meadows, and so many others. Those who disappeared and those who had been tortured and found alive or dead.

She had also read about her own family.

Eclipse Blackthorne was found dead, in a location for a Secret Keeper, whose name was not listed, no one could make head or tails as to why she was there. But she had put up a damn good fight, leaving the house nearly destroyed as if a bomb had been put there. Everyone had said that she had adored the Potters’ only child, she adored them and kept by their side no matter what. It left Eden in tears.

The twins’ father and uncle had joined the Order as well, and died in battle before the werewolves had come to save what remained of those who fought against You-Know-Who and his followers. Eden could not read anymore and she put the papers away.

But something was still missing, from all that she has read and all of this information: Eden still could not remember much. She would look down at the blue flower ring she continued to wear and frown, no memories were returned to her.

❊❊❊❊

25 June 1992

Eden no longer had a reason to stay in Hogwarts. Her intelligence and mastery in the magical arts would have had her already graduate, but the circumstances had changed.

She was a godmother— so she would stay in Hogwarts with Harry Potter. He needed a better family than Lily’s muggle side of the family— but because of her young age and youthful face, she was deemed as unable to take custody of Harry. And so, Dumbledore had allowed her to remain, not as a finishing seventh year but as an assistant Healer to Madame Pomfrey.

It took only a week to process the Blackthorne family mansion and everything in and outside of it to be handed over to her in name and paper.

Eden Blackthorne was finally going home.

She had apparated, appearing at the rose fields. She didn’t notice that the roses were so very much alive. She was scowling, and continued to do so, as though she was a child that had her sweets taken from her.

It was the second time that she was denied! All after the Muggle’s legal way and hearing. The Dursleys were all for allowing Eden Blackthorne to take Harry Potter into her custody. It was on file, Eden’s true birthday, but when the ‘headmistress judge’ had glanced up from the files to look at Eden’s youthful face: she had denied Eden of taking Harry, **_again_**.

It had occurred to her that she seemingly didn’t age at all from her awakening. Maybe it was because the spell was effected by her twin’s own feelings. It was a strong type of magic, love. She continued to stay in her thoughts as someone approached her.

Eden jumped and nearly sucker punched the male figure who had popped up in her line of sight. The man ducked,” Bloody hell! Calm down, woman!”

She brandished her wand as the man stood back up, but the man’s face came to a better lighting. It was impossible. She breathed evenly, as she slowly lowered her wand.

“Cyril?”


	30. No Rest for the Wicked

_some had scars and some had scratches_

_it made me wonder about their past_

_and as I looked around_

_I began to notice that_

_we were nothing like the rest_

26 June 1992

After much needed rest, the remaining of the Blackthorne pack and Eden had converged in the dining and parlor room early in the morning.

The amber eyed Blackthorne eyed each and every member, which totaled to twenty even Blackthornes, the pack had lost numbers. Eden had noted some of the younger ones were no longer present as older ones too— some had more scars than she remembered them having. She sighed, and rubbed her face— they all had the same weary feeling in their bones.

Eden exchanged what little information she had accumulated, and they relayed what they had held for years.

“We had our non-magical Blackthornes hide in various locations, last I checked they are fine— Avery has a daughter and Josephine adores the little one, the others are spread out in other parts. Our veela cousins have been abroad— trying to find more information….”

Cyril was just as weary, but if anything, he was happy to know that someone of Saiph’s bloodline still lived— even if she hadn’t aged since the last year anyone had seen her.

“Voldemort is still alive… he is just biding his time as he finds a way to retrieve his new body.”

Eden had been told by Harry of what had occurred whilst he protected the Philosopher’s Stone and she had seen the damage done as she was Madam Pomfrey’s assistant.

Some pack members growled at the mention of his name, others did not react at all— but of all things, none shared any love for the Dark Lord. Cyril gave a pointed look to his Beta, Silas; who had lost his mate to the war years back.

“What will we do now, Eden?”

Cyril had Silas, and every one of his pack members, on his leash, ever since his last meeting with Eden he had changed to that of discipline. Ambrose had been right about keeping the pack alive, whether he knew what was to come or because of his own experience from leading the pack. It chipped at something in Cyril that Ambrose died, the old alpha would never tell his once reckless grandson that he ‘told him so’.

Eden slowly weaved her fingers together on her lap, her amber eyes would have burned people at a brushing touch. “Now we watch, we endure, we shall await what comes next. Harry still needs time to grow into his magic, to train, and I will be there. You gather more numbers, we need friends and trust. But most of all, we must remain in the shadows…”

They all looked at her, absorbing her words as though it was from their alpha’s own tongue, their own law.

She smiled, devilish and cruel. Maybe she was bitter and cold, from all that she has lost: her family, her sister, her memories and those she could not remember. But for now, she would become a hawk gazing upon its prey and waiting to strike without mercy.

“We are good at playing this game of shadows… we have played it since the beginning… let’s make him and those who follow regret that they were even born.”

❊❊❊❊

29 August 1992

She had been owled by Harry that he would make it fine to Platform 9 and ¾ by himself with the help of the Weasleys and she had owled him back to mind his future steps. Before she would arrive to Hogwarts, she had to stop somewhere, and that was Godric’s Hollow. She needed to give some respect to those that she lost unknowingly.

It had been blasted apart on the second floor, Eden guessed that was where You-Know-Who’s spell had rebounded from Harry, she stood in front of the gate that stood before the house, she didn’t move as she continued to observe the Potter’s cottage home. Eden was then suddenly sucked into a memory.

**“You know what we should do?”**

**Eden was reading a book, as per usual, and Eclipse was speaking quite excitedly to Lily Evans, who was holding the hand of one of the shadows.**

**“What are you thinking of now, Eclipse?”**

**The wolf eyed Blackthorne smiled, as wicked as all her smiles would come to her naturally,” We should all live together when we graduate. Or maybe just live closely to one another.”**

Eden steadied herself, by putting her hand on the gate to keep herself from falling, from the suddenness of having been vaulted in and out of a memory.

A couple had noticed that there was a woman who was standing in the strangely open space in between the houses from either side, they had thought it odd that she was just standing there. In fact, now that they looked at the strangely open space, they couldn’t recall as to why there was no house in the middle— there was more than enough space for said house.

The invisibility charm, which had been placed on the destroyed household, could not be seen by muggles.

They looked to one another worried, thinking that maybe she needed directions. She was quite beautiful, not many would have such well-kept and night black hair as hers or such magnificent looking clothings and having a smooth pale complexion— but then they had noticed that she was crying as she looked into the empty space. They were curious on as to why she had tears in her eyes and what she could see where they couldn’t.

They approached slowly, and suddenly when they had simultaneously blinked, the crying woman had disappeared before their very eyes. The two looked to each other again, then to the spot where the woman had been and back to each other.

They never spoke of what they had witnessed that day, either from their collective fear of becoming mad or because they couldn’t figure out on how a crying woman had suddenly just _vanished_ from sight.

❊❊❊❊

Another year had passed. She still hasn’t aged at all.

Eden had met Luna Lovegood, she expressed her condolences for Pandora’s passing so long ago and she and Luna seemed to have the relationship that resembled sisters. Despite their not so similar appearances, people had indeed seen some sort of strange resemblance that the two shared. Harry still naturally came to befriend Luna as well.

After much consideration, Eden had even went to visit Narcissa Malfoy— the older woman had nearly fainted at the sight of seeing Eden so young, _younger_ than she should be. But the two had exchanged pleasantries.

Lucius couldn’t seem to connect the dots of how Eden Blackthorne and his wife could have managed such a relationship when it barely started back in Eden’s first year and Narcissa when she was a fifth year at that time.

The amber eyed witch had even babied at Draco, he was cute and just as spoiled as Eden had described all those years ago.

Eden winked at Narcissa,” Just make sure to raise him right.”

But she also warned Draco,” Never refuse your mother, mothers are more sensitive to their children.”

The silver haired boy had kept to Eden’s advice.

Eden over the year, whilst Harry and his best of friends had went on the adventure of the Chamber of Secrets, was training Harry as best as she could. As long as she wasn’t going to be mouthed off by the other professors— he took her lessons seriously, he was adamant on being good in Defense against the Dark Arts.

❊❊❊❊

5 July 1993

Presently, and after much convincing to the Muggle court, Eden had been given permission to allow Harry to stay for the summer with her.

The headmistress judge, as Eden would so sarcastically and fondly call, had reconsidered especially after learning that Eden had more than enough wealth to take care of a single child and that Eden was _so persistent_ in wanting to have Harry in her custody. She couldn’t handle looking into those striking amber eyes and denying her once again.

Eden, of course, wouldn’t apparate with Harry at his young age, and so they took the longer route. They took the train together to King’s Cross and called a cab. From there, they had explored a little. He had never seen the city so much and his jaw dropped from the sight of the Blackthorne family mansion.

“This is your home?”

Eden nodded. Long before, during the beginning of his second year, Eden had explained to Harry about her family history; he had been fascinated and he wanted to meet the other Blackthornes.

They traveled up to the rose fields, hand in hand, after the cab having arrived to their desired destination. Harry was greeted by the pack, they had seemed curious of the ‘boy who lived’ and the boy who was behind the moniker.

Eden then smiled to Cyril. “Harry, these people are my cousins. This is Cyril, and he is the alpha of the pack.”

Harry greeted the sea-green eyed alpha with enthusiasm.

Cyril was amused,” Nice to meet you. This is my pack, don’t worry they won’t bite. You, are after all, Eden’s godson. You’re part of the family, kid.”

Harry smiled, a smile so big that his face would be sore soon.


	31. Again

_Fate whispers to the warrior._

_you cannot withstand the storm._

_and the warrior whispers back._

_I am the storm._

1 September 1993

A wizard was sprinting past the crowds, heading straight to the hospital wing. He had so many scenarios and possibilities running through his head. It was impossible. It couldn’t be. But what if it was true?

He continued to run, and finally he had found the doors to the hospital wing and entered in his fervor. Madame Pomfrey had jumped at his sudden entrance but when she recognized him she had smiled at him.

“Well, well, well… if it isn’t you. Please tell me you don’t need my checking up on you again?”

He shook his head, and continued down the room, his nerves were gnawing him. He pulled a curtain and there she was. She was sitting with a first year, the poor thing had tripped whilst one of the staircases had moved, and she had simply waved her hands over skinned knees. The first year sat up, testing her knees and smiled— meekly sounding out a ‘thank you’ before skipping out of the hospital wing.

Eden Blackthorne turned her amber eyes to the man who was breathing heavily from his sprinting. She raised an eyebrow.

Her amber eyes searched the man who slouched but stood so tall. His kind and aged face was going through so many emotions at one time, it had concerned Eden and had her standing up to nearly reach his own height.

“Are you alright?”

She had noted a certain paleness and his scars, she knew what he was but not who he was.

“Eden…” The man had whispered.

Eden stopped instantly, like a deer in headlights and suddenly in the middle of her forehead it felt like everything imploded.

Eden’s memories came at such a speed, she had banged her hip on a bedside table and would have fallen if not for Remus Lupin’s help.

Eden looked up, everything about him, she remembered,” Remus…”

**Eden Blackthorne made eye contact with Remus Lupin, for the very first time, since they have arrived to Hogwarts. Remus’ spine had straightened, a cold feeling going down his back, for he felt that Eden could read into his very soul and find that there was something other than human lurking there. Yet when she had smiled at him, with a tender and almost vulnerable smile, it felt like the two had made their friendship right then and there.**

**Without a word passed between them, he smiled back.**

She remembered the time she had admitted to knowing his condition, agreeing to make the Wolfsbane, all the times they had met in the library and discussing the fine and high points of their classwork and what they had read ahead, all the time they had smiled at each other when the others still hadn’t discovered her own condition, she remembered everything about him.

She breathed as though it was her first breath when she had been born. He was about to say something but Eden beat him.

“My god, Remus, you have aged quite a bit.”

He snorted so loudly and abruptly that he hadn’t noticed that she smiled sadly.

One memory shadow down. Three more to go.

❊❊❊❊

“Turn out your pockets,” Snape demanded for the second time.

Harry had been caught in the middle of the hallway by none other than Severus Snape. The hook nosed and pale man attempted to have Harry reveal what his ‘spare bit of parchment’ was.

“Request to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people’s business.” Harry had read, he couldn’t contain the sass on his tongue.

Snape seemed silent for a moment but had turned to insulting Harry.

This was when Remus and Eden had stepped out from behind, no longer shaded in the darkness and stood slightly away from Snape.

“Professor,” Lupin smiled as Eden held her treasured rosewood and phoenix cored wand.

Her own Lumos had cast gentle shadows on her face and she simply whispered,” Good evening, Harry. Snape.”

Snape snarkily replied,” Out for a little stroll in the moonlight, are we?”

Snape blatantly ignored Eden but she had smiled devilishly.

“Harry, are you alright?” Lupin had asked.

Eden slowly stood next to Harry, but she made no move to stop Snape from snatching the enchanted ‘parchment’ from Harry’s hands.

Snape went on about how the parchment was of dark magic, something that should be Lupin’s expertise. Remus simply chuckled and explained how it seemed to be something of pranking material, from Zonko. Eden covertly smiled but she didn’t speak.

Lupin had quickly dodged Snape’s grubby snatching hands. “It is of my expertise, as you say. Harry, will you please come with me?”

Lupin folded the parchment and began to walk away, Eden and Harry following him into the darkness.

“Goodnight, Snape,” Eden had smiled and allowed her Lumos to dispel and she disappeared into the darkness.

Snape simply scowled.

The group of three had made way, entering Lupin’s classroom.

Before Remus can even get angry at Harry, Eden interrupts him,” I’m not sorry to say, Harry…”

The boy looked stricken, at the thought of Eden’s wrathful anger being turned upon him. Their time together in the summer had been so wonderful, and he didn’t intend to mess with their current relationship— she the loving godmother and he the now loved godson.

She simply smiled, Harry calmed slightly. “While I may not remember everything, I am fairly sure that your father did strut.”

Remus looked at Eden like he had punched in the gut, nearly bursting into laughter. But it didn’t keep Remus from explaining the dangers of the map being in the possession of wrong hands. He would keep it for now.

“Well, it has been a long night and Harry you might be restless but even the magical need sleep… I shall escort him back.”

Eden had reassured Remus,” I’ll be back, you still owe me for the hot chocolate.”

The man had smiled, fondness for obvious. Because now, of the original group, only three of them remained. Not that he had told her that, for now, she knows only herself and him.

And suddenly, as he watched Eden and Harry venture out of the DADA classroom, his smile slipped from his face. It was like seeing James and Eden together again. James who had tried to put a bit more of humour into Eden and Eden trying to cool James down, they were the perfect mix— as friends.

Eden always had that effect on people; cooling them down to a point and making sure they were level headed, while Eclipse had a way of making people want to be wild and reckless, with a smile on anyone’s face.


	32. Remembrance

_it’s that heart of gold_

_and stardust soul_

_that make you beautiful_

9 June 1994

**“Eden Blackthorne, my heart, marry me.”**

Eden flung herself out of her bed, her eyes wildly glancing around to find the person who had whispered in her ear. Her heart slowed as she rationalized that she had dreamed a memory. She sighs, and rubs her eyes, she places herself back onto her bed.

It was a memory, she confirmed it and she looked down at the ring that still had its place on her left ring finger. Too bad she couldn’t remember the man who had given it to her. She smiled, marriage was something she never thought of, but that memory— she remembered that she adored whoever that man was, how her heart had raced and she had smiled like it was best feeling in the world anyone could have. She loved him.

Her smile disappeared though, as she leaned over again. She rubbed the back of her neck, maybe she could just stay in her bed for the morning, afternoon and evening.

She grumbled,” Yeah, right.”

She began to dress, slipping easily into the outfit that was designed for others to identify her as a Healer, or assistant Healer.

Eden didn’t dare tell Harry about her sudden weariness, he had more than enough on his own plate and she was supposed to be the adult when around him. She would not tell him when some days felt like Eden couldn’t breathe or shut out all the noise that bothered her, when she thought she was drowning in water and everyone else was swimming perfectly fine. There were also the days where she felt too numb to even get out of bed or refuse to wake up from her dreams.

She ventured out of her room and quickly made her way to the Great Hall, even if she didn’t feel hungry she would tell herself to eat. She went through the routine: eat, go to the hospital wing and greet those who were still remaining in by their injury or illness, assist Poppy Pomfrey with preparing potions that were out of stock or simply walk around and keep watch on the patients.

But something changed this routine: when Eden decided to take a detour and venture out for the herbs earlier than usual. She took the steps down and around, and found herself in the green house. She was not aware of watching eyes from a distance.

She spoke to the flowers, they needed some human contact for a while to blossom. She wasn’t aware as a large black dog had made its way towards her.

“Maybe I should take a vacation and see my cousins and their little one, do you think that would be fine? But then again, I can’t leave Harry alone for a moment and he finds himself in trouble,” Eden had lightly laughed at the thought.

She continued to speak and suddenly she had jumped from the contact of something wet upon her hand. A wet nose to her hand.

“Bloody—”

She stopped as she realized that the large black dog had advanced and now laid itself entire body on the floor, whimpering for some petting.

“You’re certainly not Hagrid’s, he would make sure to feed you more. I’m a little curious as to how you found yourself on these grounds, pup.” She gently pet his skinny body, already smiling at the nickname she had given him.

He, the dog, had seemed to melt in her touch from the pleasure of a good petting. It whimpered for her to keep going and she complied.

“Maybe I should get a dog… but I wouldn’t know how Blaire would react.” She grinned down at the dog and he seemed to listen to her every word intently.

The petting had continued on for a while, she would talk about Harry and her time back in the world. She didn’t talk about the pain and the darkness that gathered in the bottom of her heart, she just wanted to forget about it for a little while.

The dog’s ears had perked up as he spotted tears drop from Eden’s eyes.

“Oh…” She wiped her sleeves at her eyes,” I don’t know why…”

She wiped furiously. The canine had whined as he rubbed his head into her leg.

“Why am I so sad just looking at you? Not allergies certainly… and I don’t believe I ever have met you before…”

She had wiped at her nose and the dog had laid its head on her lap. She gently patted his head,” You know… I can’t remember much, not even the Pensieve can help me retrieve some lost memories… I don’t believe I will have them returned to me either…”

The dog burrowed its head into her lap.

❊❊❊❊

The oversized puppy had retreated from the rest of the castle, but it seemed eager to follow after Eden, he had whined for her to return. She had sighed, the Blackthorne had decided to return to the hospital wing, gathering the needed herbs for Poppy’s potions.

“Goodbye for now, pup.”

The poor thing whined but it didn’t press and seemed to slip back into the Forbidden Forest as Eden turned away from the entrance and returned to her duties.

❊❊❊❊

Harry felt the need to admit what he thought that Eden would not have already known.

“His name is Sirius Black and I heard that he was supposed to be my godfather…”

Eden turned to look at her wild haired and optically impaired godson, her lips thinned.

“No bells are ringing for me.” It was half a truth.

Eden had felt the tug when Harry had said ‘Sirius Black’ and all the other times people had said this or that about Sirius Black.

Harry frowned as he slouched in his seat, Eden applied some salve to the bruise on his cheek— he had hit himself, accident or not was to be determined, with his broomstick during practice.

“They say he is dangerous and that he is here to ‘finish the job’ for You-Know-Who.”

Eden shook her head,” And it he were to, he would need to get through me, Harry. Now go back to class, you can’t stay longer.”

She gestured a ‘shooing’ motion to him with a cheeky smile of her own.

Harry nodded,” But can I at least check in with you, just in case?”

The now teenaged and famed wizard still pulled at the ends of his uniform shirt, worried over her and distracted by other things.

She snorted, Harry Potter worried over his godmother and it is supposed to be the other way around— which of course she did. Harry, however, and his friends always seemed to turn out and push through all the trouble they find and prevail.

“Yes, yes, now go on, you can’t just skip your classes.” She smiled as she watched him sprint down the hallway. But her smile fell quickly, her eyes flashing.

She needed to know who Sirius Black was. She kept mumbling to herself his name, she still couldn’t recall his name after that. No books would reveal to her the secrets she needed.

❊❊❊❊

Even later in the afternoon, finally turned to evening, Eden was patrolling and she found something quite curious as she watched Snape go under the Whomping Willow. She remembered that there was a cellar underneath it, but she couldn’t quite remember if she had ever ventured in it.

She ran after him, before Snape’s Immobulus no longer kept the Whomping Willow. She noticed that there was blood on the cellar’s floor, someone was injured and she urged her legs to move faster. She had heard something crashing and she finally reached her destination. She wasn’t surprised, it was the Shrieking Shack and there were people in here, she ran up the steps.

When Harry wasn’t quick enough to block Peter Pettigrew’s way, it was Eden who had appeared in the doorway— shocking both Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. Sirius most surprised indeed.

Eden appeared as a wrathful goddess who had descended down to the mortal realm, to smite those who had dishonored her. Shocking amber eyes met the pale and watery brown ones that Peter had, and she scowled at the sight of the cowering man as if he disgusted her with just his disheveled appearance alone.

All the memories of the Marauders and Peter had overwhelmed her, she had slightly tripped on her own feet but she kept steady as to not allow Peter to escape. She remembered how she had met James Potter and became so closely knitted into the Marauders’ activities. She even remembered young Regulus Black, who she had adored simply because she was an older sibling and he was in need of one.

**“Eden Blackthorne!”**

**The boy had ran up to her, Remus following closely behind. Eden twitched her nose as the boyish trickster of a wizard noisily made his way to her.**

**“Yes?”**

**James smiled, smirked even; as though he knew everything and anything, his hair was as wild as rumours went about him. He however did have a more gentle side, as he wrapped his arm around Eden’s shoulders.**

**“I feel like we could be good friends, Remus told me of how you two have become such good friends. Also, can you help me with Potions? I’m terrible at it.”**

**The group of three made their way to their second year Potions class. Eden simply shook her head and smiled.**

**She had thought, ‘This would be fun,’ she didn’t have a doubt about that.**

**…**

**Eden was slightly taller, as she was older and had the tall genes from both her parents. She blinked at him, patted herself down and observed Regulus. The young Black, with the gray eyes that he shared with his older brother, was about to apologize. But it was then he realized that he had just barreled into Eden Blackthorne.**

**A Blackthorne, he thought to himself and he fell quiet. His entire mind went blank. The second year had smiled at Regulus with a kind smile.**

**…**

**“First rule as a Marauder: when something explodes, keep walking.”**

**James had given his signature smirk as he and Remus were ahead of the rest, Peter following after the two with a cheeky smile and excitement glowing in his eyes. Eden simply looked amused, shaking her head and she and her sister kept up with them.**

**…**

**It took only Eden coming around the corner to stop them from fighting— one reason being that she disliked fighting, even though she had her own record of one punching people, and she would have personally fought the two boys to the death, if she needed to, and _they knew she could_.**

**…**

**When the Marauders smuggled Eden and Eclipse into their dorm room, they were all just scarfing down on the chocolates that they collected.**

**…**

**No one said anything after that, they had all went to work. Peter gathered the ingredients needed, Remus and Eden worked so easily with one another, and the rest worked on the dye potion for Snape.**

**…**

**When Eden returned, she was so pale that it convinced everyone that she was still sick. Whenever someone asked, Eclipse informed them that the cold and Eden doesn’t mix well; it was something Eden inherited, it runs through the family. Remus became very protective over her, and it prompted the rest of the Marauders to deflect anyone’s questions away from her.**

**…**

**“Don’t you at least want to congratulate Regulus?”**

**She finally looked at him, into his vivid gray eyes. He shook his head, earning a frown and look of judgment from her.**

**“Fine, but if you won’t, I will.”**

**She ran her fingers through her night-black hair and walked away from him and the Gryffindor Quidditch team.**

**He was shocked, had he heard her correctly? When did Eden Blackthorne suddenly become a part of Regulus Black’s life? Eden traveled across the field to the Slytherin team.**

**Some of the Gryffindors whispered about Eden, some were curious on why she was approaching the Slytherins and others saying she was a little looney— which prompted the other Marauders to yell at the team to shut up. Eclipse glared at everyone on her team as James did.**

**…**

**Everyone was having a massive study group outside, along the rocky shore of the Lake. Eden was sitting underneath a tree, to shield her from the sun. The boys and Eclipse were doing whatever it is that they consider fun, and do as they please when they have the world as their playground. Lily arrived later, and sat with the lone Blackthorne.**

**…**

**“I don’t know, Eden…”**

**Regulus had whispered to Eden, the two were scribbling down the notes and they had been going deep on the subject of boggarts. The two’s combination of intelligence was quite overwhelming.**

**…**

**The Marauders, Blackthornes and Lily Evans all sat underneath a tree, they were by the rocky shores of the Lake. It was a free period, until they all would go to Defense against the Dark Arts. They were discussing the war.**

**…**

**This year, their very last as students of the arcane and magical— the Marauders, Lily Evans, and the Blackthorne twins had sworn they wouldn’t waste a single waking moment.**

**…**

**“I was thinking about it… Joining him…”**

**Regulus guiltily admitted to the one who sat next to him in the deepest corner of the great library. Amber eyes looked into his gray ones.**

**…**

**The seven were sitting in the Astronomy tower, watching the sun slowly vanish from the horizon, together. Everyone, all the five Marauders, Lily and Eden, decided to stay together on the winter break— fully coincidental as it was their last Christmas together in their school years.**

**Tomorrow was the full moon.**

**…**

**The very last thing Eden Blackthorne had seen, in the year of nineteen seventy seven on that freezing night of December, was her twin sister, Eclipse Blackthorne.**

**The spell was cast, shimmering over her body and encasing her with protection to last a lifetime.**

**Eden Blackthorne fell into a deep slumber.**

But it was only a second of reminiscing, then it was gone. Peter backed away from Eden’s amber eyes that sharply pierced through him with anger burning and making the amber seem more like a molten gold.

“You…” The low tones matched the murderous shade in her eyes.

Harry, Hermione and Ron had slowly kept away in Ron’s seating corner as though she had aimed her eyes at them instead.

Eden had heard what Peter had said to Harry, of how Harry looked so much like the long gone James Potter and that James would have offered him mercy. It angered her to no end, as Eden now remembered everything about her best friends, _Peter’s_ best friends.

Eden’s lips pulled themselves into a snarl and she rammed her fist into Peter’s aged and bloated face from years of his weight gain. Sirius winced, he remembered the day that Amos Diggory had hit the ground unconscious and his lost tooth had been on the floor with some splattered blood. Remus breathed in surprise, he had also been one of the many witnesses to the said accident of Amos Diggory.

“You do not have any right to talk about _James_! Not to _Harry_ , you insolent _toerag_! I remember you now…”

Peter stopped dead, everyone had stilled. Peter looked like he begged for Eden not to announce what her memory was, she continued anyways.

“I remember smelling _rat_ in that opening in the Forbidden Forest. When I transformed… I remember that distinct smell of you, Peter Pettigrew… You’re the reason Lily was in danger in the first place!”

Sirius growled. Remus looked like he could and would hex Peter.

“I couldn’t help it! He was so strong, he had enchanted me with his diary! And—”

Before Eden moved to strangle Peter, to shut him up from shouting any more excuses, Harry stopped her.

She had halted at the sight of her godson standing in front of her instead of Peter. Harry had looked like James, standing strong and with confidence, he indeed inherited his father’s reckless streak.

“He’ll tell of what he did, to everyone. Then the dementors can have him.”

Peter had fell to his knees, his pathetic whimpers had grated in Eden’s ears.

She sighed,” It is your call, Harry…”

She did however strike another punch into Peter’s face before Remus could take charge of keeping Peter in line. Everyone in the Shrieking Shack, excluding unconscious Snape, knew that the Blackthorne was not someone to anger.

Eden had helped Hermione stand back up and walked her out behind Peter and Remus. Sirius took Ron’s one side along with Harry, walking after the two witches.

Sirius once again nervous, he couldn’t find himself to speak to Eden, who in fact remained beautiful and just as youthful from the day she had been put into the preservation spell.

When the group had exited from the Whomping Willow, spreading out, Sirius and Harry went to talk alone, Eden did not follow— she felt that they needed time alone. And that night Eden had thought that she would never meet Sirius again— when Remus had transformed into a werewolf and knocked Eden unconscious with his brutal strength.


	33. Meant to Be

_oh, but darling,_

_how do I begin to not miss you?_

12 June 1994

Eden left Hogwarts behind as Harry is still recovering with his best friends. Remus had resigned from his position, yet did not seem to mourn for it as she had thought he would have. He seemed to plans for something else, as he was now leading Eden through a maze of streets, after having apparated to the city.

“Remus, I don’t understand… why are you bringing me here?”

She was absolutely befuddled when Remus continued to ignore her curious questions.

Remus didn’t answer, instead, kept leading Eden down to the street and stopped at his intended destination. Grimmauld Place. It was a large apartment complex, Remus and Eden goes up to a seemingly random door and Remus knocks his fist upon it. The door opened, and out revealed Sirius Black.

Eden looked at him in silence, she had an ugly bruise upon her cheek and the back of her neck and he had a lot worse. But he was cleaner and had a chance at being better dressed than his raggedy Azkaban clothing. She still stunned him with how lovely she could look without trying.

Her eyes widened, she realized now that this was the first time she had made eye contact with him. His eyes widened, he had been planning to flee the country for the while and return back here, and he was glad he hadn’t just yet. Remus released Eden’s hand and allowed her to continue to observe Sirius.

She was then brought into a cluster of memories, memories of her and Sirius.

**Eden finally met the infamous Black brothers.**

**She passed by him without so much as a glance, whilst traveling her way to the library; needing a new book to read, and for some research on the essay that Slughorn announced that was due in two weeks’ time. When she finally reached the doors of the library, she stops to the side of it and Sirius was in her direct line of sight, a charming smile on his face.**

**He was fate, with his smile that charmed so many people. She was pure coincidence, the shadow behind others but the light to those who are lost in the dark.**

**“And so we meet, we were obviously meant to be… Eden, _my love_.”**

**He dramatically calls, sweeping his fingers through his hair, pushing the rebel hairs from his face as he began leaning towards her.**

**She snorted unladylike, and smiled devilishly, at Sirius. His face contorted to one of confusion. “Sirius, _darling_. Try again, maybe, when we are older.”**

**…**

**Sirius found the one person he was looking for, in the library, with the help of her ocelot, Blaire. She was reading her Defense against the Dark Arts text. He watched her silently, she was simply sitting.**

**“Hello…”**

**He was wringing his hands out as he greeted her. Blaire perched his lean body next to her book, rubbing his face lovingly into Eden’s arm, meowing for her to pay attention to Sirius.**

**Eden simply raised her eyebrow at the sight of Sirius, in the library of all places.**

**“Hello.”**

**She greeted back as she waved her hand, a wandless and nonverbal magic, to refill her hot chocolate mug. She jotted down a couple more notes on her parchment. He waited for her to finish.**

**…**

**“And if I wanted to be with your sister?”**

**He picked the worst choice of words to speak with Eden, ever since the first time he has met the Blackthornes.**

**The look Eden Blackthorne shot had chills crawling on his back. It also had been given the promise of death, which would forever be burned in his mind’s eye.**

**“Choose your next words carefully, Black…”**

**…**

**Eden didn’t notice the way Sirius’ eyes that lit up when her piano nimble fingers had ran themselves through his hair. He had been growing it out, ever since the day he practically fainted with pleasure from the way Eden had tousled his hair for the very first time.**

**…**

**“What in the bloody hell are you lot doing here?!”**

**Eclipse hissed under her breath, pointing a Lumos lit wand of rowan wood, with cherry blossoms carved along its length and a phoenix feather as its heart, a twin to Eden’s own. The four boys had snuck up on the twin Blackthornes in the middle of the night, in the Potions laboratory.**

**Eden had never looked so angry, as she was now. She had nearly hexed James, if she hadn’t recognized his voice. The boys surrendered.**

**Sirius countering, smiling cheekily,” The real question is what are you two doing here?”**

**…**

**“Sod off!” Regulus groaned.**

**But he had smiled another large smile, as Eden then helped him open the chocolate frog.**

**Sirius however gained the advantage, and he pecked at Eden’s cheek, quickly dodging away before she could hit him again. No one commented on her blushing face.**

**…**

**Eden continued,” Ah, unrequited love is a pain in the rear.”**

**Sirius smiles, and gently twirls Eden, his hand holding hers firmly to make sure she kept her balance,” Then it is a good thing we have just declared our undying love for each other, aye?”**

**He had joked, of course.**

**Eden smiles and laughs but didn’t deny it. She didn’t notice that Sirius' smile dropped, his eyes flashing as he began to notice something in his beating heart. Something that wasn’t there before.**

**…**

**“Sirius Black… and what are you doing in the Potions laboratory at such a time? Hm?”**

**Eden’s petal lips curved upwards, her devilish smile has returned.**

**He simply shrugged, thinking carefully upon his words. “You underestimate how much I actually do worry about you… Eden Blackthorne…”**

**He cautiously moved up closer.**

**…**

**“Tell me that I am a fool…” Sirius had whispered.**

**She smiled, as though she was the devil himself,” You may be a fool…”**

**He sighed softly. And she finished,” But you would be my fool, Sirius Black.”**

**His eyes glinted,” And you my heart, Eden Blackthorne.”**

**…**

**“If Evans and Prongs Sr. don’t get married soon, I think we should make a pact to do so. Then we can be the parents instead.”**

**Sirius kissed the crown of her head, Eden’s hair smelled heavenly as usual— the twins had a habit of stealing Lily’s multitudes of perfume. But Eden had a specific perfume smell, peonies and peaches.**

**She shook her head, vibrating with laughter,” And what if I don’t want to marry you, Black?”**

**He put his free hand on his heart, in the right place,” You wound me, Eden, my heart. Come on, you have to admit, we’re a little married by now. Why not seal it?”**

**The two of them smiled, and leaned in closer to each other, Sirius kissed Eden. It wasn’t a slow kiss, nor quick— it wasn’t just a peck on the lips. Just a simple kiss of innocence. A slow molding of their mouths to one another.**

**When they leaned away from each other, Sirius wrapped his arm around her waist and the two kissed again, for some unknown reason Eden had laughed. Sirius’ outgrown hair was tickling her face. Sirius decided then that he loved the way laughter tasted on her smiling lips. He began to laugh too.**

**…**

**“You lot are barking mad.” Lily had laughed, shaking her head.**

**Eden looks up from her book, looking Lily dead in the eyes,” We are certainly not, Sirius is though.”**

**The Marauders went still. Remus dropped his book, slipping from his slack hands, looking up at Eden with absolute shock. James had dropped his spoon into his soup, he shared the same horrified look with Sirius.**

**“My god… she did it. She made the pun.” Sirius had whispered, and looked down at his piece of cake as though he didn’t know what to do with it anymore.**

**…**

**But if there was ever a time that Sirius Black was the most dramatic and romantic: it was the moment when he had proposed to Eden Blackthorne. Because they were young and so in love, despite what others thought… there wasn’t supposed to be a war or a stupid blood curse in their way, it was just supposed to be them and being happy.**

**Everyone had stopped, to stare and watch the entire thing. Sirius then whispered, licking his dry lips,” Eden Blackthorne, my heart, marry me.”**

**…**

**Eden Blackthorne fell into a deep slumber.**

She had breathed, all of those memories in a span of seconds, but suddenly she felt it… divination. She had been pulled back into the past, and she witnessed _everything._

**Peter picking up a diary of black leather and golden tips to its corners. He found it in the library when he wandered away from Remus and Eden as they were studying with the rest of the Marauders and Lily Evans.**

**Peter conversing with a ‘Tom Riddle’ from the _enchanted_ diary that he had found days before. He had finally found someone he could confide in.**

**Peter under the spell, but in a way, he had wanted to do all the things Tom wanted of him. Tom wanted to know certain things and Peter told him, it was so easy to give into Tom.**

**Peter that had snapped, and snatched the diary from beautiful, wolf eyed Eclipse Blackthorne and ran from her. He had cried that day and still wrote to Tom.**

**Peter who wrote that he couldn’t, wouldn’t, to Tom. Tom promised that he would not harm Lily Evans, all he wanted was the Blackthornes. Specifically the eldest… Eden Blackthorne.**

**Peter who didn’t know about the Blackthorne curse, until it was too** late **, Peter who had run.**

**Peter who had remained under the guise of being a friend. He hated seeing Eclipse and Lily cry whenever Eden was brought up. He hated when Sirius had to go and vent his anger out whenever someone even mentioned _something_ about _her_. He hated when James and Remus would slip into a deafening silence because Eden was always there for them and would smile when she seemed to have all the answers.**

Eden tripped, having hit the doorframe with her foot, present Sirius had slowly reached out for her. She felt like she was gasping for air, a moment of need to breathe. Never in her life had her divination been so controlling and forceful— what was in the past wanted to be revealed and she was the best to know what had happened.

**The cries of a newborn could be heard. Lily Evans had given birth to Harry James Potter. The Marauders, and wedded and near-to-bursting-pregnant Eclipse and Rowen Withers, were there. James had cried the most at his boy’s birth.**

**Sirius nearly fainted when he had been able to hold Harry, he was the godfather and Eden was named to be Harry’s godmother. Sirius never looked at another woman, he never married— Eden was his only one.**

**…**

**Eclipse had twins, a week later from Harry’s birth, the twins had the same eyes as Eden and Ezra. Eclipse couldn’t look into their eyes, she had lost her sister and her baby twins didn’t even have a father because Rowen had died in a mission. But she still endured to love her babies.**

**Eclipse who had wept when she had sent her children to the other Blackthornes, to protect them. Only to later hear news from the Blackthorne pack that the veela Blackthornes, who were caring for her twins, had died when Death Eaters had ambushed them. No one could stop her from crying, no one did, out of fear for her lashing out. Lily Potter was the only one who was allowed to comfort her.**

**…**

**Missions upon missions. Death Eaters and the members of the Order were dying left and right. The Order of the Phoenix was quiet, so many were dead. It was a cold December night, Eclipse and Lily would still cry over Eden on _that_ night.**

Eden was now falling, Sirius was going backwards and he had wrapped his arms around her lithe body. She was once more sucked into other visions.

**“I should have realized sooner…”**

**Eclipse Blackthorne, who was twenty one years old, appeared around from the corner. Her wolfish eyes laid upon quivering Peter Pettigrew and the wizard who Eden would have killed, if she had been faster _that_ night.**

**Today was a cold October evening of the year being 1981, it was Halloween for the Muggles.**

**The thought struck Eclipse, _Eden_. Eden who was supposed to live longer and be happy with Sirius Black. Except she was still hidden away in Hogwarts and in secrecy. Sirius was somewhere else, thinking that the Potters were safe. Eclipse had known they weren’t from the beginning. She followed Peter, he had been acting strangely and when he had brought it into the household of the Potters, she knew then.**

**She toyed with the tip of her wand, as she watched the two attempting to figure out on how Eclipse had figured out Peter’s two timing face to the Potters and the Dark Lord.**

**“You are a clever witch… but you should realize your mistake, little Blackthorne.” Voldemort sneered, he had a lovely scar across his otherwise handsome face; courtesy of Eden.**

**The eyes of a wolf pierced through him.**

**“Maybe… but I can still try…”**

**Eclipse flicked her wand, Stupefying Peter and lashed out at Voldemort with the Killing Curse. She was all-for-nothing— for James, for Lily, for Harry. But it was mostly for Eden.**

**…**

**“Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!”**

**James Potter had stood at the staircase as the shade had approached. James was wandless, and he was suddenly thinking about how Eden and Eclipse were always so good at wandless magic— he kind of wished that they had taught him.**

**He stood tall, and spat,” I won’t let you near him!”**

**He had more sudden thoughts, thinking of Lily. It had been nearly four blissful years. But _damn_ , it was supposed to be a lifetime like he had promised in their vows.**

**James thought of the short and bloody brilliant year with his son. It was supposed be longer than this, there was so many things they had yet to do and was supposed to do.**

**James stood as a stone wall in front of the sneering shade.**

**For Harry.**

**Lily had let out a sob, she had heard the thump— she could still hope, though, couldn’t she? She clutched Harry to her chest, ran down the hall and slammed the door shut and placed Harry into his crib.**

**She whispered to her baby boy,” I love you, Harry. Momma loves you, dada loves you.”**

**She had sobbed when the boy had seemed to look through her fearful facial expression, as though he had known what was to come. Lily had quickly thought that maybe Eden’s divination skills had rubbed off on Lily and onto Harry. Divination that Lily still had thought that was rubbish, now she would believe in anything if it would keep Harry alive.**

**She took one last look at Harry,” Be brave, Harry.”**

**She stood up and faced the door, then she softly called,” James?”**

**She didn’t move from her spot as the door had been opened, eerily and it creaking because James never had the time to be able to fix the hinges of the door. Lily’s green eyes met those dark green ones that she had personally seen all those years ago. On _that_ night.**

**It was not James and she still didn’t move from standing in front of the crib.**

**For Harry.**

**…**

**Young, twenty-one year old, Sirius Black discovered Eclipse Withers body in Peter’s safe house. He had to shuffle through rubble and debris to find her broken form on the floor of the exploded room. She was dead, but had obviously fought to her death.**

**It sickened Sirius, he remembered the day when the sixth years had witnessed what Eden had feared the most. Ezra’s broken form— Eclipse’s own broken form.**

**Peter was the spy, it made sense to Sirius now. Eclipse never would have went into a losing fight without knowing anything.**

**He whispered and yelled in his realization,” James… Lily… Harry!”**

**He stood straight and ran.**

**Sirius didn’t even bother with properly stopping his flying motorbike, he let it skid away as he ran into the cottage.**

**He had let out an anguished cry of pain, sorrow and anger at the sight of his best mate on the stairs in such a still form. It was then when Hagrid was discovered, picking Harry up from his crib, and sniffling over Lily’s own broken form. It was too much, but Sirius had reached for Harry.**

**“Please, I’m his godfather… let me take care of him, Hagrid…”**

**…**

**First, Eden. Second, Eclipse, and lastly James and Lily. No one could stop him now. Young Sirius Black was on the path of vengeance and he was tracking Peter down, until the ends of the earth if he needed to.**

**Sirius had lost everyone he loved. Remus thought he had been the traitor… but Peter was still out there.**

**…**

**Sirius Black, who had been captured and blamed upon Peter’s death and the explosion that killed twelve muggles.**

**Sirius Black who had figured out where Peter was when he read the newspaper about the _boy who lived_ and spotted the newspaper picture of the Weasleys and their pet rat.**

**Sirius Black who was intent on finally fulfilling his revenge. Sirius Black was the first to escape from Azkaban.**

Eden’s eyes fluttered open for the final time and she had found herself on Sirius’ already bruised and now horizontal body.

She had breathed, finally. Sirius was about to greet the witch who hadn’t aged a day since her ‘death’.

Remus Lupin had silently watched when Sirius Black and Eden Blackthorne had fell backwards into the hallway entrance to the household, the two not getting up from the compromising position.

“Hello…” Sirius had greeted lowly.

Eden’s mouth opened, but then closed, as she went to brush her fingers through Sirius’ hair like she had so many times before. “Hello…”


	34. Wolves

_She was a storm:_

_sudden,_

_powerful,_

_violent,_

_devastating,_

_and utterly magnificent_

6 August 1995

Sirius went into hiding, in the tropics, during the last summer. Though while Eden would have wanted nothing else but to follow, the two knew that Harry should have at least one godparent around. Eden remained behind, she was after all someone who wasn’t wanted and would have been used as a scapegoat for all the happenings that had occurred in the past.

After the Death Eater sightings that transpired in the Quidditch World Tournament, Eden had been on edge. It didn’t help to know that Harry was now dreaming of You-Know-Who, but at the same time of her uneasiness, she was bristling. Her blood boiled and she was on the defensive. She was here for the fight, beside Harry, Remus and Sirius.

When Harry’s name had been spat out of the Goblet of Fire, all hell broke loose on all sides. Though of course, it only got worse when Voldemort himself had finally gained the freedom of a new body and has now rose to power once more. And no one except a handful believed Harry, even after having brought dead Cedric Diggory back to the stadium with the Goblet in hand.

After that day, of Cedric’s death, Sirius and Eden rounded up the ‘old gang’ on the behest of Dumbledore. The Order of the Phoenix is reborn.

❊❊❊❊

Eden gently guides Harry into the house. Tonks walks ahead, winks at Harry and goes to the meeting after Moody. Remus and Sirius looked up, like deer in headlights when their eyes land on Harry and Eden— before Molly Weasley slams the door to shut out the meeting. Eden chuckles lowly, carefully leading Harry towards the stairs.

The two traverse up the stairs, and Harry is greeted by his best friends. Ron only ever could blush in Eden’s presence, mumbling a quick greeting and moving back to Harry. Hermione and Eden hug as though they were sisters who had been separated for a long time.

All in truth, the two enjoyed each other’s company but sometimes it was best the two were not together. Though while they were great in conversation to each other’s inquisitive natures, Eden was more open minded to most things and had the ‘Ravenclaw intelligence’ while Hermione was indeed smart and logical in her own way; she was not of the same type of thinking material that Eden was. In a way, they clashed. But in another, they were brilliant.

Eden walks to Sirius’ room, she had been here only twice before this day. When Sirius’ parents had disowned him, he needed help to retrieve his belongings and move into the Potters’ residence. Sirius had asked for her to help him, and she had agreed without hesitation. The second time had been when she had been dragged to Grimmauld Place by Remus.

She smiles as she ventures in.

The Weasley twins, George and Fred reveal their so called perfect eavesdropping method to the others. When the group was attempting to listen in on the meeting, Eden was looking at the pictures that Sirius had charmed and stuck onto his old bedroom’s wall.

Eden remembered when she had given most of the photographs, moving ones and still ones alike, to Sirius for his birthdays back in Hogwarts. Those were her gifts to Sirius, and he had loved them— the moving photos usually had the entire Marauders, Eden and Lily together, and Eden had noted that the ones that would have had Peter in it was either burned or had him erased from them.

One of his favourites, as he told her last summer before leaving to the tropics, was the one where he would have his arm around her shoulders, smiling at each other like they were sharing a secret. On one side of the two, there was Lily and James bickering on the side and it would end with James kissing Lily’s freckled nose then on the other side of Eden and Sirius: there was Eclipse fussing over Remus’ oversized sweater. Eden smiled as she gazed upon her sister once more.

❊❊❊❊

“He is just a boy!”

Molly Weasley gently laid her hands upon Harry’s shoulder.

Eden folded her hands and propped her chin on it as she did with her elbows upon the table. Sirius went to stand up.

“And I was just seventeen years old, when I first faced Voldemort, Molly Weasley,” Eden’s voice was gentle but it had a sharp edge that would cut anyone that was on the receiving end.

Molly stopped, and her nose became pinkish from keeping her tears in as Remus had told Sirius to sit back down.

“Harry has more than the right to know, he has already drove the Dark Lord away and let us not forget that he has done so twice…”

Eden smiled sympathetically at Molly, it broke the older women’s resolve and she had sent Ginny to her bedroom— which didn’t help that Walburga Black was waiting in the hallway from her covered portrait to make another screeching fest.

“Speaking of the business, how about you, Blackthorne? Are you to become one in the Order?” Moody grumbled in his usual gruff voice.

Eden simply shrugged,” I have already had my cousins gather some numbers, those that will build trust in their pack— Remus had helped with that, on another hand. I have battled Death Eaters and I will not forget who nearly destroyed my family mansion.”

During the summer before Eden had went to retrieve Harry from Privet Drive, Eden had indeed been doing missions and off the record ones— one of the many being a battle between werewolves and Death Eaters. The Blackthorne pack had indefinitely won.

The family mansion had been charmed to be concealed and protected from unwanted intruders, since the day Saiph had it built in his time, but Eden felt the need to show that she was on the chessboard and she was there to _win_. It was quite clever really, Eden had intercepted a message between the Death Eaters and had set them up to meet the Blackthorne pack. That had lead a number of the Dark Lord’s followers to their deaths.

Everyone shifted slightly in their seats. Eden Blackthorne may have been cool and level-headed, who had the gentle hands of a Healer. But she was a dangerous witch considering her powerful bloodline that comprised of talented wizards and witches before herself. Sirius smiled, eyes glinting as he found amusement in her words.

Remus had remembered all the times that Eden had dueled in Defense against the Dark Arts, she was unstoppable and no one had beaten her, not even Sirius. She had a graceful dueling style, but much to her usual, laid back poise; she shown that in her style as well.

She smiled cryptically, warm amber eyes sharp,” Throw me to the wolves, and I shall return leading the pack…”

Those around the table shifted again, as Eden shrugged,” But I suppose so, I have nothing else better to do.”

Sirius couldn’t help himself, eyes shining mischievously,” I have other ideas to pass the time.”

Eden flickered her amber eyes over to his gray ones, she faked a wince at his charming self and it had others chuckling. Sirius only winked, knowing her full well of how her reaction would have truly been. Excluding Remus and Harry, no one had seen that Eden had smiled as her eyes glowed with fondness for the older man. Just because time had aged him, he did not seem the same to others as he did to her.

After all, Sirius Black was Eden Blackthorne’s one and only love.


	35. Everlasting

_some people survive chaos_

_and that is how they grow._

_and some people thrive in chaos_

_because chaos is all they know._

7 August 1995

It was crazy, unthinkable, completely and utterly mad. But she had to try at least. She wanted to see it for herself, and he needed someone with the advanced skill to do so. Who better to do it than her, the one he had loved and cherished his heart for so many years?

Eden breathed, her meticulous hands were noticeably shaking as she thought this couldn’t, in any way, be able to work. But she would try and succeed in the task of her doing so.

She breathed again— slowly, gently caressed his forehead, temples, and cheekbones with the tips of her fingers, afterwards her palms had brushed his cheeks and chin as she lowered her hands downwards and stopped at his Adams apple. He closed his eyes, sighing at her touch. When she finished, he hadn’t moved a single muscle. The two didn’t even need to wait.

Her magic took an instant change to Sirius’ face and soon enough, the rest of him. His face became youthful, chiseled and handsome as he had been from the last days he and Eden had seen one another before her slumber. His hair becoming thicker and darker, no longer baring any grays or silvers, and straighter than his present curls. His body slowly adjusted back upwards, growing taller, his shoulders no longer sagged, and his body had taken the lean, muscular shape it had once been back from his time spent in Quidditch alongside James and Eclipse.

Sirius Black had become his eighteen year old self once again.

She smiled, her voice had been lost in that moment. It was as people would say,’ Like the old times.’

He opened his eyes, they held his older self and the time he had spent in Azkaban, but Eden didn’t care. She had breathed again, and trembled slightly at the sight of him. Sirius became worried at her brimming tears and he turned around to look at the piece of mirror that he had found.

Ah, so that was it. He touched at his face with his own shaky hands, and chuckled. “Merlin, I was a handsome devil.”

Eden had laughed gently. Indeed, he had always been the most beautiful person she had ever come to know. He had always been so, after growing into who he became through the years.

Turning back around to face her, he reached for her, wiggling all ten of his fingers, and the two smiled at one another. Sirius smirking his charming way and Eden smiling her usual devilish way. It was as though the world had given them the time they had lost. They wouldn’t waste the time they had now, Eden’s magic was powerful but this use of magic wasn’t permanent.

The others, who remained in the house for another night, had just finished dinner. When they had went to enter the kitchen; they all halted in their paths, in the doorway. Some gaped at the sight of the stranger next to Eden. Others outright speechless.

So young and extremely handsome, he held onto the hand that adorned the blue flower ring upon her finger. They all were curious about it, but she and Sirius didn’t speak of it— though, everyone had seen the two making longing gazes towards the other.

The two began to waltz, but it was an odd sort of waltz— as though the two had created their own steps to the dance. No one dared to move, watching as Sirius would twirl Eden and the two resumed in slow and mindful steps.

Harry whispered as quietly as he could manage,” Is that Sirius?”

Remus looked like he had been winded and nodded silently. No one spoke as they watched Eden Blackthorne and young Sirius Black dance from one side of the kitchen to the other.

They naturally had a rhythm and kept to their dance, in sync and _so_ in love, the two looking into each other’s eyes with a smile on their face. No one could possibly understand it, but they had wondered on why the two were dancing without any music.

Funny thing, that is…

❊❊❊❊

1 September 1995

The King’s Cross station is bustling, full of business, the rumbling of approaching trains coming to screeching stops and departing trains shunting into other parts of the railways as they disappear into the distance. The steam train belches out a hot wailing whistle from within 9 and ¾.

Students are rushing, yelling at each other and parents shouting on the top of their lungs for their children to hurry. But all the while, the figure of a woman seems to be taking her time as she strolls by the rest. A large black dog seems to be following after her, gently and playfully nipping at her heels, he jogs slightly to be ahead of her and enters into one of the smoking rooms. No one notices that the dog’s form becomes into that of a man.

Harry is urged inside quickly by Moody. Harry was pleasantly surprised by seeing Sirius outside of his old house. Eden trailed in and sat on the other side of Harry.

Harry and Eden share a quick smile, but Sirius announces,” Time is of the essence, unfortunately. I shall make this quick.”

Sirius sits down, patting Harry on his shoulder and hands the lightning-scarred boy a photograph of the old Order. After he explained the people, the Prewett twins on one end, and there being Harry’s parents, Eclipse, Remus and himself, along with the others of the Order, including Pettigrew— Sirius smiles as he then tells Harry that he could keep it.

Before Harry could say much, Moody knocks at the door to hurry the chatty group of three. Eden hugs Harry, the three were happy. Sirius gently squeezes Eden’s hand, his shadowed eyes brimming with emotion and takes his secret form.

Harry boards the train, to Hogwarts, watching his godmother and godfather slowly disappear from his sight in the train’s compartment window. Eden waves her goodbye and Sirius remaining by her side, in his Animagus form, barks joyfully as his own parting goodbye.

The three were happy at that time, and they had even went as far as to thinking that they would be okay, they would live through it all. Everyone, including themselves, would make it through this war, defeat Voldemort once and for all, clear Sirius’ name and Eden would able to be with the man she still continued to love.

They were all fools.


	36. Death Do Us Apart

****

_they witnessed her destruction,_

_then were left to wonder why,_

_she saw nothing but darkness,_

_though the stars shone in her eyes,_

_but maybe they’d forgotten,_

_when they failed to see the cracks,_

_that a star’s light shines the brightest_

_when it's starting to collapse._

18 June 1996

Anyone who had thought that Eden Blackthorne didn’t adore, show fondness or love her godson was blind.

Everything, from her waking up alone in the new time and finding out about the Boy Who Lived and to this very day, she had done her deeds in his name. Because he was indeed just a _boy_ , and because she had loved him like his own parents would have, and she thought that that was fine. Because that was what Eclipse and herself would have done— protect the child of their best friends.

Everything would be okay, she had told herself over and over again. Through the newspapers and bad gossip towards Harry and Dumbledore, through the Ministry of Magic’s sudden descent, and the turn to scrutiny towards Hogwarts. Through Dolores Umbridge and her own reign of terror. Through everything and anything. Eden would whisper the same words that Eclipse had whispered to her in that night so long ago.

“You’re going to be alright… Everything is going to be alright…”

And then it wasn’t.

❊❊❊❊

Tonks and Eden rushed the rest of the members of the Order through, the two witches also ushered Harry’s friends, who had trained in Dumbledore’s Army, into hiding. Remus bolted on one side, taking a defensive position around the group and aimed at a Death Eater. Kingsley had fought off another Death Eater, Moody didn’t even speak as he took his silent wrath upon another enemy.

Sirius strutted up and punched Lucius Malfoy in the face. The Death Eaters engaged the surprising rescue team of the Order.

Eden flung a stinging curse, followed with killing her opponent without mercy. She didn’t mind the nearness of what was in the center of the Death Chamber. It didn’t take long for her to gravitate to Harry’s and Sirius’ sides.

When Harry had lost concentration, Eden had put herself in front of him. Ruthlessly, she flung curses and jinxes and would dodge from Lucius’ and one of the other henchman’s own curses. Sirius almost got hit by a jinx in awe of Eden.

It didn’t take long for Eden to disarm Lucius’ secondhand man and sending him backwards with him letting loose a bloodcurdling scream. Sirius had laughed, and within a short amount of time with Lucius himself; the white-blonde haired man was also sent back flying.

Sirius had smiled, looking to Eden who was eyeing her surroundings. The rest of the Death Eaters were surrounded and defeated by the Order— all seemed well. But once again, it was too late. Harry didn’t even have the reflexes to reach out for his godparents.

It was in slow motion, both Sirius and Eden had turned to watch Bellatrix Lestrange, apparating closer to the three, and she muttered a powerful Stupefying spell. No, this wasn’t supposed to be how it ended. But this did not make Eden cower, she was here to fight and fight is what she would do, even as Sirius had wrapped his arms around her.

The Blackthorne raised her rosewood wand, her amber eyes shining, and didn’t speak her own spell out loud, no— instead, the Patronus appeared all by itself. However, for the first time in the history of the wizarding world, the Patronus came in two different shapes— the Opaleye dragon as Eden’s and Eclipse’s roaring tiger.

The Antipodean dragon that curled around the Death Chamber’s size, opened its gaping jaw and roared out at Bellatrix— Eclipse’s tiger, with the golden eyes of a wolf, had charged at the twisted and smirking witch.

The spell hit the two, Sirius Black and Eden Blackthorne, and they had been forced backwards. Sirius had taken the brunt of it and those tiny steps had lead them to their downfall. Everything moved too fast when the two disappeared into the veil. Sirius and Eden were gone.

Harry’s wailing scream was agonizing, ringing throughout the entire room as he tried to reach towards the veil, only to be stopped by Remus. Harry had lost his godparents, but Remus had lost his best friends and Eden was gone for the second time.

But this time it is final, no blood curse would shield a killing curse for her, Eclipse’s love and preservation spell could not protect her again. Eden Blackthorne was once again lost to the world. And Remus was croaking out a scream at the loss as much as Harry.

❊❊❊❊

Eden was sure she was dead, as dead as could be… but why did everything feel so warm and peaceful?

When she opened her eyes, only to bring her hands to shield herself from a bright light, she had felt more alive and lighter than ever. She had sighed at the feeling of warm sunlight on her skin. Something was strange about the sunlight though, it felt too… artificial.

She was albeit more than surprised. This seemed too wonderful.

But it was confirmed that Eden was indeed dead. Because no one dead could be alive again, especially when Eclipse Blackthorne’s black, wavy and wild locks of hair had appeared in Eden’s eyesight. Eden blinked, as she looked upwards to her twin sister.

Something wasn’t right, but Eden didn’t see the reason to fight against this. Her twin sister was smiling and is as bright as she had been in their years in Hogwarts.

The older Blackthorne must have fallen asleep with her head on Eclipse’s lap, the wolf-eyed twin didn’t seem to really notice that she had fallen asleep. It was the Room of Requirement again, as they had for Eden’s past ‘transformations’— but everything was different, no more curse and no more illnesses towards the winter full moon. Eden slowly sat up. She was about to turn to Eclipse, a question on the tip of her tongue but she had stopped.

Her eyes had landed on the most extraordinary sight of all.

Pressure began to build in the back of her throat, tears beginning to form— for on the rocky shore, there they were. Three Marauders who were yelling and laughing as loudly as they could.

Everything seemed muffled in Eden’s ears, however.

James Potter, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, the young seventh years they had once been. Whatever this was, it had taken Eden’s breath away when finally, _finally_ , Lily Evans had appeared and she was scolding the three boys to stop playing around or they would get themselves hurt. Or worse, she could hex them herself. Eden didn’t need outspoken words, to understand one of the infamous rants, which only Lily Evans could dish out to the Marauders.

Eden brought her shaking hands up to the sides of her lips, her tears finally had slipped from her eyelashes and slid down her cheeks. Her breathing became shallow and whispery.

Eclipse had shifted in a turn to talk to her sister, and when she opened her mouth, no words came out. Eden knew then.

Her last living memory had been brought back to her— Eden Blackthorne was indeed dead. But why was she here? Why in this so vivid place and seemingly distant memory?

Eclipse didn’t seem to notice that Eden wasn’t paying attention, she had turned to yell at the three Marauders and call for Lily. The four had slowly made their way towards the twins that took to hiding underneath some shade that a tree offered.

This was her little piece of heaven, but it was also her little piece of hell. A reminder of what she had lost. Eden closed her eyes, the faraway shouts of the boys and Lily Evans left in silence. But before Eden opened her eyes again, Eclipse’s words had suddenly sounded.

“Welcome back, Eden…”


	37. Wolf in Disguise

_you carry the heavens_

_in your eyes_

_like one of those old Greek tragedies._

_And I’d call you Atlas,_

_but he wasn’t given a choice to hold the stars._

_you were._

_yet still you break your back_

_by holding the sky in your palms._

20 June 1978

James was laughing, he had his arm wrapped around the beautiful redhead that he could now call his true love and _fiancée_. Remus was shaking his head, his sandy hair having grown out but not as much as Sirius’ own hair. Peter was giggling, hiding his mouth behind his hand as he continued to outrageously giggle— no one really noticed that his smile had slipped from his face as he glanced behind him, to one of his best mates. His brown eyes landed on Sirius Black, who was smiling, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. It has been like that for a long while.

No one ever discusses it anymore. Not _that_ night.

“And so, I told him to shove it right up—”

James was telling the story of how he nearly gotten into a fight with a Slytherin, James suspected that he was a newly turned Death Eater. Lily began to scold James. When he had kissed her freckled nose, like the last thousand times, she had would stop her words and roll her eyes as she continued to stroll ahead with the other Marauders.

Eclipse was slightly behind, talking with Regulus, the seventeen year old had been experiencing some rough times— he had outrightly refused becoming a Death Eater and no one in Slytherin would even look at him now. He was as much as an outcast as Sirius now, and the brothers’ parents had disowned him just as well. He had done it for _her_ — not that anyone would want to talk about _her_.

No one knows that Eclipse and Regulus had become strongly bonded, crying over her lost sister and Regulus having lost a good friend, who he had considered close and he would have called _her_ his own sister.

No one wants to hear something that would even have a slight involvement with _her_. It would have broken the peace that they had, that they used to shield their frail hearts from the tragedy of it all.

“Anyway, Reg, so all you have to do is read the last chapter and you’ll be golden.” Eclipse smiled as she ruffled up his neatly brushed hair.

He didn’t protest when she had done so, he instead smiled shyly.

The Marauders and Lily continued on to wherever they would find some peace. Seventh years no longer attended classes, they had finished their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s— there was the graduation ball that all seventh years were rushing to get prepared for.

However, Eclipse was taking her time, and she was walking Regulus to his next class. He doesn’t ever mention it, but whenever he is alone: Slytherins always find a way to hurt him. Eclipse doesn’t talk about the bruises on his wrists, instead she just heals them and continues on in their conversation like nothing occurred. Because trying to pry information from him wasn’t necessary. She already knew who, it was just getting the truth out that was the problem.

Eclipse slips her eyes upon Regulus, as he enters into his class. When some classmates had turned their heads around to find the Blackthorne, well with wolf eyes glaring at them with a silent threat, they turn their heads around. They act as though Regulus was no different than the rest of them. It is only until the professor comes into the classroom, smiling at Eclipse when he passes by her, that Eclipse disappears and vanishes down the hallway to leave Regulus to his education.

When Eclipse travels, attempting to find her best friends— she notices that lightning begins to colourfully streak down the sky and horizon. After a faraway, distant thunder roars and slashes down, it begins to rain. Eclipse stops, looking out one of the many windows, and watches. Her wolf eyes began to narrow, as she looked down the expansive grounds of Hogwarts. The smell of the soon to be downpour intoxicating.

Another bolt of lightning appears, and the rain begins to fall and hammer upon surfaces. She looks upon the moon that was visible, through the dark rain clouds, and she notices that it was indeed a full moon tonight. It was also a good thing for Remus, he wouldn’t miss the graduation ball which was a week away. And it seemed that this moon was more gentle to him— he hadn’t been experiencing as much pains as he would from other full moons.

She had plans on her dress and she had already secured a date with Rowen, the Hufflepuff never been so excited after he had gone through his initial shock. Eclipse smiled, but her lips began to wobble, she felt another wrench in her heart— her sister was supposed to be there, smiling but threatening Rowen that he would take care of her twin, or else.

Eclipse shook her head, wiping at her forming tears. _No,_ she would not cry _._ Eclipse would smile instead, because that was what Eden would have wanted her to do.

“Oi, Luna, there you are! We were looking for you!”

James had waved his hands wildly, Sirius had his hands deep into his pockets as he leaned on the wall, Peter and Remus was holding some snacks and Lily was smiling, she was so bright and beautiful. Seeing Lily always brought out the memory of Eden first meeting Lily, helping her off the ground after the train ride and had tripped over her own feet. Lily may have been embarrassed about it, but that was the greatest memory, the greatest time in both Eden and Eclipse’s life. Because meeting Lily Evans was worth everything.

Eclipse snorted, beginning to laugh— when her eyes scan over her best friends, the Blackthorne realizes that they were all soaked, they had run through the rain when they realized she wasn’t there behind them. She waltz over to the group, but then, she looked out the window— on a whim. Her eyes widening, a thunder bolt had took form and roared into the sky as though it was a dragon.

Something stirred within her. A thin line had attached to her broken end, and a small buzz began to vibrate within her bones. This was the feeling of being connected, connected to her twin soul, her Eden, her sister.

“Oi, Luna, what are you doing?”

James tilted his head, his wild, dark hair falling to the side in accordance as his eyes trained onto the witch he called friend. Remus looked inquisitively at her. Sirius had stopped leaning on the wall as he looked at Eclipse. Peter had also seemed worried.

Eclipse Blackthorne whipped her head around to her friends, then back to the window, she looked as though she could see something that none of the others could. She scrunched up her face, her dark eyebrows had squished to each other, her lips screwed in and her nose wrinkled. Then she shook her head.

It was impossible. She turned on her heels and walked over to Lily, wrapping her arm around the redheaded witch’s waist. The group began to waltz down the hallway with the snacks in their arms.

❊❊❊❊

She awakened with closed eyes, tears that had been formed had spilled over her cheeks.

Amber eyes revealed themselves to the world once more. Her face contorted into that of confusion and then suddenly, she wildly inhaled as much air as she could, violently even— like she had been deprived it for a short while. Next, she had rolled over onto her stomach as her entire body went through the spasms.

Her eyes watered as she roughly coughed and sputtered and began to exhale irregular breaths. She began to breathe normally, she finally calmed down and her entire body stopped the shivering and shaking. She did not speak, only continued to breathe, in and out as she would in some therapy session.

She slowly sat up, but she had trouble with her shaking limbs and didn’t attempt to stand herself up. She recognized the familiar walls that was the Room of Requirement, no one was waiting for her this time, not even Blaire.

But Eden knew she would wait, wait for Professor McGonagall. The professor entered the Room of Requirement, with Blaire leading with the look of arrogance on his feline face.

“Hello, Professor. I’m back.”

Professor McGonagall, no longer had the grays and silvers in her black hair— Eden, knew then, that she was returned to a time that she had thought impossible to be returned to.

Minvera McGonagall gaped. Her glasses slipped down her nose, her eyes were looking upon someone that she had thought that was impossibly lost.

No matter how much magic she and Dumbledore had poured into the Room of Requirement; Eden Blackthorne was where vanished objects go. And the Room had made it so that she wouldn’t have been found in a vulnerable, vegetative state if the intent was to harm or otherwise.

“If you please, Professor McGonagall, I would like to be on my two feet again.”

Eden Blackthorne reached her hands out to the wary professor, and the older witch helped Eden back up. With shaking legs, she had made her way to exit the Room of Requirement.

Eden Blackthorne remembered everything— even from the faraway future.

If anyone had thought that the amber eyed witch would wish to experience the same future, _again_ , they were dead wrong. She was going to change everything, she was going to stop a war that hasn’t even come to existence yet— and she would do it by punching Peter Pettigrew in the face, and maybe a second time.

Because she felt like it.


	38. Mistress of Secrets

_and as the world comes to an end_

_I’ll be there to hold your hand_

_cause you’re my king and I’m your lionheart_

27 June 1978

Sirius Black was slapped in the face, a glorious slap to his smirking face.

He didn’t even try to protect himself from the wrath of the seventh year witch— he had insulted her and her date for attempting to rub their relationship into his face.

Of course, though, Sirius knew that she had also slapped him because of how poorly he had treated her back in fifth year. Back when he used to go through relationships and having new ones by next week, and if he was lucky, a new girl at his side before the week had even ended.

He simply smirked at her again,” Tough love, love.”

He had sarcastically brought up his thoroughly used pet name that he had given to his past relationships, in hopes that he would earn himself another slap. Because _damn_ , he needed to feel something.

He was tired of waking up every godforsaken morning, thinking about when he should talk to the one who had truly held his heart. And then he would mournfully remember that she was not going to be _there_. Another twisting stab right in his heart.

She would no longer be here, reading her massive collection of books, no longer be sitting with Evans and her twin sister at the Gryffindor table whilst eating their meals or studying. She was no longer going to be here, to fight Eclipse when her wolf eyed twin would show what beautiful piece of drawing, sketching, or painting she had done the previous day to everybody else. She was no longer going to be here to play the piano with her soul or tune her lovely violin and make everyone cry from how beautifully she played her chosen pieces.

She was no longer going to be here to put up with his nonsense. His nonsense, which usually involved him being a complete bird-brained moron, flirting shamelessly or making a joke with her, or him having gone through so many girls and having shagged at a little more than a half of the students that were in their year. And she had remained through it all.

She was no longer going to smile at him, her eyes always flashing with so much life, as she would then whisper something into his ear that would make _him_ fluster. He would be teased endlessly by his best mates and her devilish smile as she would bask in his astonished and blushing state. She would then turn away, to allow him the time to make some sort of comeback to get back at her.

She was no longer here, for him to show off to everyone else in the rest of the room or area that she was his and he was hers. They had just started their relationship. _Merlin_ , he was even ready to marry her. And he is never going to get the chance to, because she was _no longer here_.

His head whipped the other way, his long dark locks flying in the same direction, as he had been slapped a second time. The witch, that Sirius didn’t even have the courtesy to remember her name, and her date had left him; she left, red in the face and fuming. It brings a type of joy to know that he left some kind of mark on her, he smiles at the thought but the smile leaves him just as quickly.

He rubbed at his cheek that had reddened from her second slap— it didn’t even sting from his cold touch. He frowned, cursed under his breath.

“Bloody hell, Paddy, you alright?”

Eclipse, codenamed Luna, as she was also put onto the Marauder’s Map, had approached Sirius. Rowen Withers was in tow, the wizard handed Sirius a glass of firewhiskey.

Fierce, untamed, beautiful Eclipse Blackthorne, who had golden eyes that resembled a wolf and her wild hair presently cut short from the torture that was her thick and untamable hair— much like James’. Eclipse, who donned a lengthy and slim lilac dress that had one lacey layer over a solid layer, she was breathtaking. And it didn’t affect Sirius, at all— but then again, the way Eden’s voice that had taken a sharp turn, had been chilling and dangerous. It had effectively warned him away from the twin that now stood in front of him all those years back.

Sirius grumbled,” Peachy.”

He downed the firewhiskey in one gulp. Eclipse rolled her eyes, another pinch at Sirius— Eden would always do the same thing, when she knew that Sirius was lying through his teeth. Sirius hardened his jaw tensely and worked his eyes over the crowds of dancing seventh years.

Lily and James were dancing, slowly and holding onto each other as though that dance was going to be their last. Sirius had not minded his best mate’s relationship with Evans, they even took great lengths to not show off in front of him as it would break his already shattered heart. But nonetheless, it had punched him in the gut as he reminded that he should also be on the dance floor, with Eden in his arms.

He was not going to cry. Something just stung his eye… that was all.

Eclipse sighed, crossing her arms underneath her bust, as to not strain her dress. “If you say so, Snuffles.”

She and Rowen left him, leaving to dance as well. He was inconsolable, just as much as Eclipse had been for the first two months but she had Rowen to fall back onto— the two had adored one another, and Eclipse had selfishly had Rowen to distract her. The Hufflepuff didn’t mind, however. Since then, after Eclipse could no longer shed tears, the two had been set on having each other. Eclipse would smile, and Rowen was there to keep her smiling, and they thought that that was the best for them, for Eden.

Sirius needed time to bind his wounds, to prepare himself for the inevitable thought of him no longer having Eden in his life. And he could never bring himself to do it. He wanted the hallowing feeling because he could not let go of it, could not let go of her.

Peter was dancing with Lily because James had went to get drinks. Remus had patted Sirius’ shoulder.

“You look pathetic, Padfoot, my friend. You should at least keep smiling, even if it is not a real smile.”

The obsidian haired wizard simply grunted, and downed another glass, Remus sighed but did not say anything else— if the heartbroken Sirius Black was going to wreck himself, Remus Lupin might as well be there to pick up the pieces. He too had loved Eden in his own way.

The wizard musicians stopped, and those who attended the ball were struck into silence as a cobalt blue, Greek styled dress clad witch steps on the stage, for all to see. She wears a mask.

Remus patted Sirius’ shoulder, the boys now looking up in absolute shock. No one had such silky and straight night black hair that would reach past her waist like a waterfall— not like _hers_. She reaches up to take the decorative piece off. And slowly, she unwraps the ribbon that held the mask up, she allows the mask to fall to floor of the stage.

Sirius’ breathing came to a halt. Lily and Eclipse, who decided to dance whilst James and Rowen rested with Peter, look as though they just couldn’t believe it. James adjusted his glasses, as if he wasn’t seeing clearly or correctly. Remus had weak knees. Peter looked pale.

Of course, this time, he couldn’t escape.

She walked down from the stage, her heels clicked upon the marble floors. She past students, no one moved; it was in her eyes— don’t get in the bloody way. A devilish smile slowly curved upon those deeply red painted lips, a sharp canine slightly peeked out, as she walked up to the person she wanted to face.

“Peter… I know your secret. And I’m afraid to say… I will not be keeping it…”

The boy paled significantly, she had chosen this as the time to reveal everything, with everyone watching. Before he could back away from her, she had pulled a curling hand and smashed her pale fist into his face to disarm him. Peter didn’t have a chance, he would have fallen if it hadn’t been for Eden Blackthorne’s firm grip upon his forearm.

People went deathly still, maybe this woman had gone mad but at the same time, no one moved against her.

“ **Death Eater** _Peter Pettigrew_!”

Eden Blackthorne’s face became savage, baring her teeth and amber eyes more wolf like than human, as she grabbed the boy’s other forearm and ripped the sleeve of his tux to reveal the Dark Mark. People gasped and backed away.

Lily choked out, her memories coming back to her before Peter’s Obliviate had been cast upon her.

**Lily had woken up and went to the kitchens to quench her dry throat. She was about to return to the Astronomy tower in her sleep-hazed pace.**

**Peter, turning around the corner, his eyes shown panic and his skin pale from shock and terror. Peter, telling her that Eden and Eclipse were out in the Forbidden Forest and were in danger. Peter, holding her wrist too firmly that it hurt,** leaving bruises later on **, as he pulled her along. Peter had stopped in a wide opening, Lily could clearly see that there was no Eden or Eclipse. Peter, who shrank away from the approaching cloaked man…**

**Lily, who had pointed her wand at the shadow wrapped figure. Lily, who shouted to keep away from her. Lily, who had firmly stood in front of Wormtail, a Marauder, a best mate to the others, to protect him.**

**Lily, who had dropped to the ground, without so much as a surprised cry, she had been hit from behind with a paralyzing spell. Lily couldn’t even make a noise.**

**Peter, who had whimpered out,” Obliviate.”**

**Peter, who had stared straight into the redheaded witch’s bright green eyes that were brimmed with tears. Peter, who had heard James Potter’s, Sirius Black’s, Remus Lupin’s and the Blackthorne twin’s voices.**

**They were shouting for Lily, for her to answer them. To tell them that she was still alive. Peter, who had turned into his Animagus form of a rat to flee from his mates’ and the twins’ judgement. Peter, who had left Lily on the ground still paralyzed.**

**It was too late. Lily had blinked her eyes.** She couldn’t remember why she was on the ground. **Lily, who had to witness the twins, her best friends, look absolutely devastated as they discovered her on the ground from a distance. Lily, whose eyes had flitted upwards and she had paled in horror as she realized that the shade was now standing over her— his wand at the ready, pointing at her.**

Sirius growled. James and Remus looked at Peter, their Wormtail— the one who had caused Lily’s memory loss, it now had made sense. His absences from lessons, and from the time they all had spent together; he hadn’t been there ever since Eden’s curse began to worsen.

And yet again, he was also gone from the time Lily had went missing on that night of December. The one who had forced hurt and dying Eden Blackthorne to finally transform into a werewolf and protected Lily.

No one in the ballroom, not even Dumbledore moved, as Killian Blackthorne, who continued to serve as an auror had appeared along with several other members of the Ministry of Magic.

None of them moved when Killian had roughly gripped upon Peter, who was trying to speak his innocence,” Wait, please! I can explain! Please!”

No one moved when other Slytherins had also been captured by the other members who had arrived with Killian. Slytherins that rumors were true on being Deatheaters.

Eden simply breathed, as she watched those she had remembered by name from all the files she had read on Death Eaters, be taken and apparated— to be imprisoned in Azkaban.

Did she do the right thing? Who would know… Eden had set out on changing the future…

 And no one needed to know. That was right, it would not make sense if she would somehow know about the future.

She closed her eyes, as the final Death Eater had been apparated with the last member of the Ministry.

She is Eden Blackthorne. She is the one veiled in shadows, she who smiles like the devil and weaves the spiderwebs, she who learns the secrets of others and keeps them. And she would now keep the faraway future as a secret as well.

Her eyes fluttered open, and the very first thing she had seen on the night of the twenty-seventh of June, in the year of nineteen seventy-eight, was her twin sister, Eclipse Blackthorne.

Eden Blackthorne is finally home, in her sister’s arms.


	39. Destined

_and so it is_

_just like it was said it would be_

22 August 1978

Lily Potter turned around on her heels, showing her back to the awaiting crowd of handmaidens.

The redheaded witch loosely held her bouquet and flung the bundle of flowers backwards into the air. Some of the witches and muggle relatives had attempted to tug each other down and grip at each other’s skirts to keep the other from catching the flying ribboned flowers. Lily didn’t turn around as she heard some disappointed sighs and groans.

She was too busy eyeing James, who was smirking and laughing with Sirius, Remus and Eclipse. Tall and handsome, he was frequently messing with his already chaotic mess of hair, he appeared relaxed as though it was just another day rather than their wedding.

James was indeed looking at Lily, his body was trembling with excitement— he was not relaxed at all, he was giddy and felt on top of the world. She was beautiful, in her silky white dress and her red hair glowing like a fiery halo around her because he had refused to have her hair pinned up in some ridiculous bun for this momentous day. The two had finished their vows and now were beginning their reception party.

To begin, she started with the bouquet throw before Sirius, who was fumbling about with his words and nervous hands, would give his best man speech.

Sirius was already drinking, to the point where he was quite tipsy. Eden clucked her tongue at him, reprimanding him but she couldn’t stop him and he wouldn’t dare allow someone else to give the speech he had wrote himself.

When it was his time to shine, he nearly bumped the microphone off the stage, he waddled about and gripped upon the device. He had been practicing with it, seeing as to how Lily and James had agreed to have their marriage to be “muggle” enough for Lily’s family. Petunia didn’t make it, which had visibly upset Lily— but she was now smiling, holding James’ hand as the two just _couldn’t_ take their eyes off of each other.

“Oh, shit.” Was his first words, drunk Sirius had just announced with the amplified noise maker, as he nearly tripped over his feet. Oh, boy.

He coughed, and stood straight, looking down at his best mate and the newly announced wife with a charming smirk. Dear god, please don’t, _Sirius_.

He started,” Deerly beloved, family, and friends, it behooves me to deliver this speech to two of the purest harts I know, two individuals so fawned of each other that it completely bucks the notion of superficial love.”

Remus and Eclipse tried to steel themselves from laughing too obviously around the gathered and esteemed guests that comprised of James’ and Lily’s family and their closest friends.

“Doe they will surely go through many trials and tribulations in the years ahead— many high and low points; stag-nant periods, when their love seems fallow— I know, as someone who knows them best, that they will not allow themselves to fall into a rut.”

Sirius no longer appeared drunk, just extremely confident as he smiled. Seeing others smiling and near to laughter only boosted his inflated ego. Eden sighed exasperatedly, leaning her head onto the shoulder of a silently chuckling Regulus, his chest rumbling from attempting to keep himself quiet.

“When it’s all over, and people are sitting around telling tails of these two, they’ll be telling each other the purest love story anyone has ever herd.”

Some people burst out laughing, others groaned and attempted to hide their faces in their secondhand embarrassment. James and Lily were absolutely star-struck, but Remus and Eclipse was howling with laughter.

Rowen was attempting to calm down his fiancée, Eclipse only laughed harder into his neck as the two had hugged— Rowen couldn’t keep himself from laughing any longer.

❊❊❊❊

“Eden, my heart…”

Sirius was past drunk, he had his arms wrapped around Eden’s waist and the rest of his body splayed on the bench the two were sitting upon. Eden was clucking her tongue at him in gentle reprimanding but she was smiling down at him. Her fingers brushed through his long locks, undoing a knot with care.

“Yes, Sirius?”

Other couples were still dancing, others who either came as friends or singles were drinking and eating or sitting around to be social.

He breathed in some sweet air, clearly drunk as he did not seem to be thinking properly, but he had gently slipped his fingers in between her free hand. She simply raised one eyebrow, as he lovingly and absentmindedly toyed with the blue flower ring that he had slipped upon her ring finger two years ago.

“Let’s get married. Right here, right now.”

She channeled out some air through her noise as a chuckle. “Sirius, you seem to have forgotten that this is James’ and Lily’s wedding.”

He pouted childishly, looking at her with sleepy and drunk gray eyes. She smiled at him, not falling for his dopey puppy eyes as usual, gently kissing him upon his brow.

“Ask me again when you are not so inebriated, Sirius.”

It was so clear, so obvious, that the two were in love. Eden was patient and cool while Sirius was loud and reckless. Such opposites— but clearly meant to be, as Lily and Eclipse seemed to agree on.

❊❊❊❊

10 October 1979

This day was the first one; that Lily Potter had the morning sickness.

A knowing look from Eden, who was the one to examine her as she was a Healer, had Lily glowing as she was smiling. James had literally shattered one of their newly bought plates, from having dropped it on the floor. Eden reprimanded the grown wizard and repaired the shattered plate with a nonverbal spell.

Remus and Sirius, the two also living in the Potter’s new household, definitely didn’t see this coming. Eclipse and Rowen, who had visited on the same day of Lily’s announcement had simply gaped at Lily.

Lily Potter was pregnant. Eden was smiling, it was a soft and vulnerable smile as her show of adoration towards her best friends— she watched them all begin to celebrate.

❊❊❊❊

15 October 1979

The morning has passed, since Eclipse’s own wedding. And she presently was afflicted with the morning sickness.

A burning sensation crept up along the bile within Eclipse Withers’ throat, as she coughed up more of her dinner from last night. Maybe she shouldn’t have eaten so much cake, but then again, she was _ravenous_ last night at the reception party. And now that beautifully and well-done chocolate cake had come back to haunt her. She grimaced at the sight and flushed the toilet.

She whimpered, Rowen had cooed at her as he rubbed her back and gently tied her short hair back.

“Get Eden,” she hacked up more after she had managed those two words out.

Rowen apparated immediately.

Eden probably would have scowled and punched Rowen, as he had interrupted her and Sirius kissing and were in a clothed and _intimate_ position.

“Ah… Eclipse is sick, she has been vomiting and wanted you, Eden.” Rowen put his hands up in surrender.

Sirius nodded to Eden before kissing her once more, before she and Rowen apparated to the flat that Eclipse and Rowen had bought for themselves.

Another wrenching whimper escaped Eclipse’s burning throat when Eden had come by her side. The elder twin simply darts her tongue out to her bottom lip, sighing as she gently rubbing her sister’s back.

“I see you have the morning sickness as well. All you can do it let it pass, dear sister.”

Eden gently kissed Eclipse’s crown, but the two shared the same disgusted grimace as Eclipse had wretched up the chicken from the wedding’s main dish.

The two laughed, but then winced when Eclipse was forced to hack up whatever was left in her stomach. Eden may have been patiently waiting for someone she had once met in a faraway future, but she was absolutely glowing with happiness with the chance meeting of her sister’s own offspring. Her possible nieces or nephews, it brought a soaring joy in her.

Though of course, she had a ‘talk’ with Rowen. But it mostly consisted of her owlishly staring at Rowen to make him uncomfortable and everyone else noticeably uneasy, as Eden took on the mentality of an overprotective mother.

The only reason she didn’t take it any farther than the staring contest the two shared, was because Sirius would kiss her freckled nose and cheeks and then lastly her lips— as to distract her from incurring her motherly wrath upon Rowen.

Now, if only Sirius and Eden would finally tie the knot.


	40. Her

_those who escape hell_

_however never talk about it_

_and nothing much bothers them after that_

31 December 1979

The countdown began.

“Three!” Eclipse and Eden had called. The two had raised their little firecrackers up in the air above their heads.

“Two!” Rowen, Remus and Sirius all but shouted. They had smiled deviously at one another, having much larger fireworks in their possession.

“One!” Lily and James laughed, James carrying their single firecracker as he had his arm wrapped around Lily’s hips in a protective embrace.

“Zero!” The members of the Order and the seven popped their firecrackers.

Eclipse and Eden had made the first two words,” Happy New.”

Lily and James had the next word,” Years.”

Rowen’s, Remus’ and Sirius’ fireworks were larger and had cracked and exploded in the sky as the rest of the other fireworks that the Order members released.

Lily had gently planted a kiss upon James’ lips, smiling as they took in the sight of the magnificent fireworks, he gently rubbed Lily’s moderate baby bump. The second pair to kiss was pregnant Alice and Frank Longbottom. Molly Weasley, who was a couple more months from bursting with another child, had been kissed by her husband, Arthur. Eclipse and Eden hugged one another before finding their respective partners.

Eclipse was also gently hugged by Rowen, he too put a protective arm around her slightly swelling belly— she was going to have twins. Only Eclipse could understood why Eden had cried the hardest, the twin sisters had hugged each other as the wolf eyed twin’s ultrasound had come out.

Twins who would not endure the family curse. It definitely was ‘crying rivers’ worthy to the Blackthorne family.

Sirius could not understand why Eden was once again crying, as she was looking over the members of the Order but mostly to her best friends. But he did not question it, especially with Eden surprising him with a kiss. On the other hand, he had had the hint that her tears were of happiness.

❊❊❊❊

1 March 1980

Ronald Weasley had been born. And it was quite excellent news aside from the danger— which the Weasely family had given letters to the Order, to slip in the reason they would need to go into hiding from the ongoing war.

Sirius was laid over on the couch in Godric’s Hollow, his head on Eden’s lap as he was looking over Lily’s most recent ultrasound of Harry James Potter.

Eden was reading as usual, but the most recent change to Eden herself was that she now was equipped with reading glasses. The years of reading in dim light, during the night time, had finally caught up with her— but only minimally. She didn’t need glasses for seeing afar, just yet.

“Eden, my heart… do you want a child?”

The two never really discussed it. _Bloody hell_ , they weren’t even married yet. Eden looked down, from her book and over her glasses that had slipped down her nose.

“A baby? Do _you_ even want children, Sirius?”

James and Remus had picked up on the conversation, having just emerged from the kitchen and into the living room. This was where the couple that was struggling past their engagement were now discussing _children_.

Sirius smiled up at the breathtaking witch, who still wore the blue flower ring upon her finger,” I mean, your intelligence, eyes and freckles and my charm, wit and everything else, why not?”

Of course, he would jest about such a thing. She speechlessly returned back at her book, pushing her glasses back up her nose bridge.

“Maybe once you finally marry her, ya’ git.”

Remus had chuckled as James sat himself on Eden’s other side, scolding Sirius for not marrying her already. Remus decided to prod at that bit alongside his best friend,” Yeah, it has been nearly three years since you decided to propose.”

Sirius blushed at the mention of his actions in the early parts of his seventh year.

“But you know…” Remus had wistfully thought aloud,” The two of you having a baby, that kid would practically be indomitable.”

Eden snorted at the use of the word.

But it probably would have been true.

Eden and Sirius had always had the best marks in Defense against the Dark Arts, they excelled at most of their classes or the use of their magic— even if Sirius had found himself on the side of failing his classes a little too often.

But now with this war, Eden was always _too_ good at her missions, _experienced_ even. No one understood how she could be, but she would smile sadly with a spark in her eyes.

No one found the time to question the Blackthorne. She may have been in ‘slumber’ for several months in others’ perspectives, but she had been in another time for a total of six years— what a faraway future it was now, a future that was no longer exists.

❊❊❊❊

18 June 1980

Sirius had woken too early, found that Eden was not in their shared bed. He did not worry too much, her restlessness always had a way of snatching her again. But he knew where to find her. He had slowly pulled himself out of their bed, he tugged on a sweater and began to slip on some pajama pants that he didn’t need to struggle with in his sleepy pace.

He trudged out from their bedroom, turning the corner and found her in the loft. She was drinking some hot chocolate and reading a book— if someone else hadn’t known that she was a very much solid person and didn’t notice that her hiding place wasn’t even much of a hiding spot, they would have tripped over her feet. She had strategically placed herself in between the two bookshelves that was filled with books— but she still had the ability to hide in plain sight, that air of silence and stillness around her would still give Sirius goosebumps.

“Nightmares, my heart?”

His husky voice gave her shivers, she nodded as she delicately flipped a page to the next. He crossed his legs over her own, there was just enough room for him to fit along with her.

“Do you want to talk about it, my heart?”

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he relished in the physical contact,” We died— in a faraway future, a future that no longer exists…”

That certainly woke him right up, though he didn’t speak and instead gently placed his lips upon her temple. Talking about it would do some bit of good, no matter how small. He knew that because he always told her of things that were good or bad, of the abuse in his childhood, the pressure of being the ‘perfect’ Black scion, the haunting memories of his family and the guilt of leaving Regulus behind to their mother’s cruel ways, their father’s ignorance.

But Eden almost never did speak of her troubles, not that she did not trust Sirius with her thoughts and feelings, but it is how she had always been. She found a way or would create a new one when problems came up, she always knew some answer to the questions and riddles. Ravenclaw had been her House for every reason.

They didn’t speak, not for a while— silence always seemed to work in their favor.


	41. Interchanging Fate

_Sometimes_

_the hardest thing and the right thing_

_are the same_

31 July 1980

“Harry James Potter…”

Eden tested the words on her tongue, again from a long time before. A smile on her face, she was breathtakingly beautiful as always— in Sirius’ eyes, she would always be.

She had admired the baby boy from afar, when he had been born and held in Sirius’ arms. The two had been named his godparents— it was just meant to be, as Sirius is James’ best mate and Eden is Lily’s best friend alongside with Eclipse.

The babe had a tuft of black hair upon his head, had the greenest eyes that matched Lily’s— Eden adored him just as much as she had when the two met in another lifetime.

Eden gently laid the sleeping babe back into his crib, Sirius weaved his fingers with hers as he gently kissed her freckled cheek. The night was young, just as they were— her the moon and him the stars.

“I love you,” Sirius had whispered.

And she smiled, looking away from the dozing babe and into those gray eyes that she found herself staring into countless times. “And I love you.”

❊❊❊❊

5 August 1980

Eclipse sighed in relief, she could hear the wails of her flesh and blood, her precious twins. She was exhausted, but like Lily had been in the delivery room not even a week ago, she was positively glowing. If not sweating glamorously.

Lilian and Lyla— it had taken months for Eclipse to agree to any of the names that everyone, from the Order and her friends, had suggested.

Rowen was hugging his twin daughters in his arms, tears spilling from uncontainable joy. But before Eclipse allowed her twins to be taken elsewhere, she handed the two to Remus. They fit in his arms perfectly. Remus tried to get out of it, when Eclipse and Rowen announced that Remus would be the one, but when Eden had her owlish stare return, he couldn’t refuse— he was the baby twins’ godfather.

Sirius had smiled, he adored the baby twins just as much.

“Nice one, Eclipse,” his comment earned him a smack on his shoulder from a huffing and sniffling Eden. He would then kiss her freckled face to curve her wrath and distract her from tearing up even more.

❊❊❊❊

24 December 1980

Sirius was looking around frantically, everyone was returning from the hard won battle against Death Eaters who had attempted to kill some muggle-borns and their families.

Eden had yet to return. His heart was hammering against his ribs, as he shuffled through the members of the Order to find her.

Ever since _that_ night, he would find himself waking up on the same day for the last year and this year in a frightened state. He would sure that she was still there, sleeping peacefully in their bed. He never left her side during the day of last year, she didn’t complain about it.

And _damn_ , he shouldn’t have allowed himself to be pulled away from her during the battle this night. Merlin’s beard, if something happened to her now, he would lose it.

He breathed raggedly, pushing other members to keep looking for her. Wishing on everything and anything for her to return to him, not to leave him again and he would have to live only for himself.

Eclipse had apparated with Rowen in tow with his younger sister, and she too was looking for her twin. Sirius had debated that he should apparate back, until _finally_ , Eden had apparated with Regulus’ arm slung around her shoulder and her arm around his waist. Her hand was covering a bloody wound but he was bleeding out from other multiple wounds. He looked like he had been grazed with what Muggles would call a shotgun.

“Move out of my way!” Eden had roared, dragging impossibly tall, unconscious, and bleeding Regulus Black.

She herself was covered in what looked like soot and dirt, and Regulus’ blood. The elder Blackthorne didn’t seem to notice that she had a cut on her forehead, she was too busy cursing as she continued to hold Regulus close to her. She charged ahead, not caring about those in her way.

Any member in her path moved and she had eased Regulus into a random room, she began to heal Regulus’ wounds with muttered spells and enchantments that would stop his bleeding. No one stopped Sirius from entering to help.

It took a few hours, Regulus had been struck with some sort of spell that Death Eater Severus Snape had invented himself during his years in Hogwarts.

‘Sectumsempra,’ was what Eden had whispered as she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her now clean hands over her face, she was tired and she is burdened with that weariness down to her very bones.

When the members had begun to disapparate and return to headquarters, leaving Eden and Regulus to go after. Snape had snuck up on them and Regulus had braced himself after shielding Eden from the spell Snape had aimed. She put it on the mission report.

No one moved to relieve her from continuing to monitor over Regulus, who was now sleeping with a potion that took any remaining pain from him. They all knew that she had adored Regulus like a younger brother. But Eden had allowed Eclipse to heal the little scrapes and cuts that she had.

Sirius had went into a rage, after his initial shock had settled in. Lily Potter was disgusted, having seen the sight of what her old childhood friend had inflicted upon Regulus when her best friend and the younger Black had returned. James and Remus had to struggle with Eclipse, to keep her from disappearing and going after every single Death Eater in Regulus’ name.

Another few hours passed, Regulus still sleeping and the rest of the Marauders would sit in the room. Silence… it was deafening— not the gentle and loving silence they could all slip into with ease with each other around.

Sometimes, they would all act as though the war was never there. They would be celebrating birthdays and the holidays, smiling and laughing. Those were the bright times of their lives. With Harry and with Lilian and Lyla born, they all had something to fight for. But those were the more peaceful days, where no one needed to speak about what was outside; what would be waiting for them.

But there were other days that the war was inevitable, and staring them straight in the face— like they would with Death, as they were in the frontlines. Days where the members would go out and return all bloodied up but _alive_ , where Eden would have to heal them up before she would either watch them go out on another mission or she would go with them.

There were days were Eden couldn’t muster up a smile, when she would be looking down at her patients. There were days where Sirius would hold her when she would cry because another member’s funeral was about to be planned. The life of Healer is the worst role anyone could be assigned with, but Ezra and Eden had accepted it, because no one else would.

There were late night meetings where there would be Eclipse and Eden fighting in front of everyone else. Eden saw danger and refused to allow her twin sister on the field, in fear for Eclipse’s twins no longer having a mother. Eclipse would say it was nonsense, she was just as good as anyone else, but Eden would refuse it. Their anger would only rise even more as they would shout out at one another. Eden’s word was final.

No one moved to stop them, because who in their right mind would want to stop two powerful witches like the twins and be caught in their deadly crossfire? But even so, at the end of those arguments, Eclipse would worry about Eden taking her place and going onto the mission.

Eden would return for Eclipse to welcome her back with tears and a clinging hug.

And at the end of all those days and meetings, Sirius would hold her hand and the two of them would smile. Because that was the only thing they could do, smile and wait for what was to come next.


	42. Order and Finale

_and when she stood, she stood tall_

_she’ll make a fool out of all of you._

3 July 1981

Eden groaned, as everyone was arguing loudly about what to do next. Eclipse and Sirius was probably the ones who were the loudest, and sometimes they would pit again each other. Remus went out, his enhanced senses did him no good in a loud room. Eden always wanted to follow right after him.

Lily and James were in hiding, caring for Harry and Lilian and Lyla. And before anyone had argued about who their Secret Keeper was, Eden made Blaire the Secret Keeper. The named ocelot didn’t seem angry with the role, and he was living in the Potter’s house with indifference— though if he had a human tongue, he would have probably cursed his witch when he learns that Eclipse’s twins seemed to like him a little zealously.

A prophecy had been made not too long ago, of Voldemort’ defeat. But there was also the leak of information of how the Dark Lord has lived for so long, and had become so _invincible_. Now every member was coming up with the most ridiculous ideas— most of them included unicorn blood.

Dumbledore was attempting to have everyone quiet down.

When a pause had come, Eden took it,” I know how to defeat—”

Everyone returned to arguing in an uproar. Eden scowled, brought up her shoulder bag and took out a book— the only one who had noticed was Dumbledore.

Eden slammed the book down as she stood up from her seat,” Shut up!!!”

And to show her irritation, Eden Blackthorne did something that she never would have done to a book before: she picked the book back up and then slammed the thick bound pages within two hardcover slips, a total of three times to get everyone to quiet down.

Sirius Black sat back down immediately, face pale, he knew the consequences of angering a Blackthorne even further. Regulus Black had followed right after. Everyone else sat back down, the horror that is Eden’s wrath was not something anyone would want to face.

Eclipse had enough of having arguments and fights that had accumulated from their combined stress having raised up from their times as members of the Order and their missions— she too sat down, crossing her arms as she huffed and glowered towards Mad-Eye Moody. He had been the last one she was yelling at.

“Perfect,” Dumbledore sighed,” please… continue, Ms. Blackthorne.”

Eden opened the book, going ahead a few chapters in, and began to read. “For those seeking immortality… a horcrux… to create a horcrux, one must commit ‘the supreme act of evil’…”

Everyone was quiet, Eden closed the book and then promptly flung it into the fireplace; another thing she would have never done to a book.

Dumbledore didn’t protest especially against Eden’s glowing eyes as she watched the book burn to ashes.

“Now, we find Voldemort’s, anyone up for suggestions?” Eden smiled, devilishly.

Everyone remained quiet. Sirius laced his fingers through Eden’s. Her squeezing his hand an answer to his question.

Eden and Dumbledore had pulled out two objects from their possession, Dumbledore’s was a shattered ring and one was a diary with golden tips to its corners. Eden scowled down at her item— it was already destroyed, but it had brought up unfortunate memories that she witnessed through divination.

When the two laid down their objects to show everyone, they all stared blankly at them.

Eden resumed. “No? Well, perfect, because I know the perfect seekers.”

She turned her head towards Rowen Withers and his younger sister, Kiera. “It is your time to shine, Withers.”

❊❊❊❊

31 October 1981

The black robed crowd stood in the middle of Riddle Manor, on the first floor in the parlor room. They had gathered at his call, most out of fear but there were some of loyalty.

None dared look up to their Dark Lord. Tom Riddle slowly ventured in between each line of the shadow-wrapped bodies. Something nagged at him though. Aside from his paranoia of all of his horcruxes having been destroyed, his best and younger Death Eaters now in Azkaban along with his spies. He was left with nothing else but his own mortal body and his significantly older Death Eaters.

Something nagged at him when he looked upon a peculiar dark shrouded figure amongst the rest of the crowd. He ventured up to the robed figure, a woman, from the looks of her slender body and slender wrists that peeked out from underneath her black sleeves.

He tilted his head, and slowly as seemingly intimate in such close proximity of another, pulled her hood off. He backed away, his eyes widening— impossibly black locks that were cut short above her collar bones, a _freckled_ face and _wolfish_ eyes were revealed.

It was Eclipse Blackthorne, and she had the smile as wicked as her last,” ‘allo there, Tom.”

She flicked her hand backwards, as though swatting a fly, wandless and nonverbal magic. And had Voldemort’s body vaulted away from her spot. He had been Stupefyed.

Some “Death Eaters” pulled off their own hoods— the Order of the Phoenix was revealed and the battle had begun.

Eden and Sirius had pulled off their hoods and brandished their wands, with paralyzing jinxes being cast before any of the Death Eaters could even bring out their own wands. Eclipse had went after Tom, she was storm and fury and she would be the one to kill him. No one argued on it, not even Eden, and everyone else’s tasks were to take the Death Eaters alive or dead. And the surprise was working in the Order’s favour.

Eden may have started this fight, but Eclipse would be the one to finish it.

She lashed out at the Dark Lord, the man who was very much scarred from his encounter _that_ night. He had recovered significantly faster than his followers and lashed out at Eclipse.

There was no time for words. No time for Riddle to make any other move, but the only reason he would somehow lose was because of the dueling pair’s wands and their contrasting lives. Tom was prideful, cold and had underhanded charm. Eclipse may have a wicked smile, but her heart was always warm, true and kind, and she had so much love for others and from them.

Tom Riddle’s weakened body hit the ground with an air of finality.

Eclipse swished her wand, aiming at the kneeling man on the ground and whispered,” Avada Kedavra…”

He fell backwards, and his body was sprawled out, similar to Ezra Blackthorne’s when she had been murdered by Death Eaters all those years ago. But no one would have been so heartbroken over his lost life, not like when Ezra had been murdered.

Everything stilled, seemed to have gone silent.

But it is broken, because the dark wizards and witches that Voldemort left behind were motivated through his death, the need to avenge him strong and cruel as thorns of rose vines— they continued in their onslaught.

But not even a minute had passed, when a number of bodies came barreling from the forest, and into the open clearing that surrounded the Riddle Manor.

The Blackthorne pack had come. The battle was over— Voldemort dead, with a solid body for evidence and the rest of the Death Eaters put into Azkaban for their crimes.

The war was finally over.

But it did not mean it was over for the rest of the wizarding world.


	43. A New Future

_sometimes, we forget_

_who we really are_

20 March 1982

A fresh start, a new era, was what the wizarding world needed. And they celebrated it through a wedding.

“Eden Black. A little odd, without the ‘thorne’.”

Lily Potter smirked at the white, silky dress clad bride.

Eden smiled, raising her eyebrow defiantly,” Lily Potter. I kind of miss ‘Evans’… but not really.”

The redhead laughed, drinking some champagne. “How did we end up here, huh?”

The redhead gazed at the freckled blackette whose amber eyes were soft and ever watchful. The pureblood witch looks to the muggle born witch, memories piles in between them, good and bad, happy and sad. It was worth it in the end.

“But then again, I remember that one time Professor Justinia had given Sirius his ‘sappy love story’ of how he needed someone basically his opposite. ‘Someone who has a sharp tongue and the wicked intelligence to balance you out from within, my dear. She will be the protective shadow of others but shall be your light in your darkest times.’ I had thought that she was just picking things out of thin air, absolutely rubbish…” Lily whispered into her half full glass.

Eden seemed amused,” Whereas I already knew that that fool of yours, the best mate to my own, was always going to be with you.”

Lily blushed, nearly choking on her drink. Eden smirked cheekily.

James was on the podium, giving a boozed up man speech for Sirius. Sirius was shaking his head, laughing at his best mate with most of those in the crowd of party attendees. Eclipse was going to give her own speech after James’. Eden’s amber eyes always searched out, always caught gray ones appreciating her back.

Regulus and Remus was sitting at the same table with Eden and Lily. The younger Black had his arms crossed but his smile took the sincerity out of his words.

“Better late than ever, you great git. I was nearly falling in love with you, Eden.”

Remus chuckled at Regulus’ joking words.

Eden snorted, very unladylike, and gently kissed Regulus on his cheek. “Maybe in another lifetime, Regulus.”

It was his turn to snort. Because even if there was reincarnation, Sirius and Eden would always find each other. There would never be Eden and someone else. Or Sirius and another. It had always been Eden and Sirius, Sirius and Eden.

Eclipse stepped up onto the podium, pushing James into Sirius’ arms.

She smiled, pointing at her twin sister sitting away on the other side of the levitating tent.

“We were always there for each other. You would always be the one to heal the scrapes on my knees when I did something particularly risky. You would be there to keep me from getting into fights with some of the kids in the nearest playground from home. You would scold me, but you couldn’t stay mad at me. You were basically what a mother would have been to their children. Took care of me, love me. Aside from father and uncle.”

That earned some laughter from the crowd.

“And I remained by your side, I was always there to hold your hand and would reassure you that you were fine just as you were. You absolute nerd. You maybe wouldn’t be a heartbreaker like myself, but I would be there to punch that one person, if he ever though he could get away with hurting you.”

Eclipse smirked at Sirius, playfully winking at him.

“And I was there when you had grown irritable at everything around you— after learning about the curse.”

Eden chuckled lightly. Lily smiled at the fleeting thought of a younger Eden Blackthorne throwing a normal childish thing such as a temper tantrum. It almost seemed impossible, Eden was always such a cool, collected person. But during the last few years, Eden had been more comfortable with herself and with those around her.

“I remember the first full moon…”

Everyone who attended: the Blackthorne pack and other cousins, Killian and Fallon, some members of the Order and the other Marauders along with Lily had frozen in their spots,” and how you had clawed at your own cheek in your pain. And we had nearly killed each other when I tried to stop you from clawing at yourself even more.”

Eden smiled sadly, fingering at the scar that curved along her high cheekbone.

“I always wondered on how you got that scar…” Remus had whispered under his breath.

“We were always second guessing about what we would do when we were going to attend Hogwarts, and when we had been separated by houses— I feared that we were going to be separated for good. But then you would smile at me like I was your entire world, every day and every night, it is such a great feeling.”

Eclipse smiled, wolf eyes glowing, her own freckled cheeks becoming red while she held in her brimming tears.

“And before that, you had read in a book about that silly Asian legend. Of how tigers and dragons stood as equals… and we were trying so hard, before our first year began to make our Patronuses to match the legend. And we did it, we did that.”

Eclipse smiled wide, tears spilling. Eden stood up to walk closer to the slightly elevated area.

“I feared for our lives as we grew older. Feared of what if you would actually die, and I would be left all alone in this big and scary world. But then we made friends, first Lily and these loud and reckless gits that seemingly came out of nowhere and barged through our front door without permission.”

Some laughed at the last words and others were trying to not choke on their oncoming tears.

“And then this same git from the group of even more gits came around in your life, at random,” Eclipse gestured to Sirius, who pretended to be hurt in mock expression, the others laughed. “He was just a rebellious little punk in Gryffindor and you told me when all of us were in the same lesson and you pointed him out.”

“Him, just like mum said, it is either him or no one else.”

Sirius looked at Eden with unfiltered surprise in his eyes, seeing a new perspective, suddenly in a different light. She smiled at him with her devilish smirk.

“We survived the curse, broke that bitch like it was nothing… even though it took a Killing Curse to do it. And then you had to leave, and I wasn’t ready to lose you but I still did.”

Eden stepped onto the platform around the podium, holding her twin’s hand, the two were now teary messes.

“And look at us now… we survived a damn war and I killed that asshole who nearly killed you.”

Some choked out in disbelief and near laughter, Killian shook his head at one of his daughter’s use of language but he smiled at the memory. Eden shook her own head to stop her laughter.

“Now you’re married, I’m still not ready to lose you. To another. But I still am.” Some more tears spilled between the twins.

“Sirius Orion Black, A.K.A. _Snuffles_ , better take good care of you or I will have his head and use it as a goddamn Quaffle.”

Others burst out laughing, Sirius paled at the threat but he still barked out laughing.

Eden and Eclipse hugged each other after Eclipse turned off her voice amplifier— the two began to cry into each other’s hair.

❊❊❊❊

“Cheers!” A bright flash appeared in their eyes, they had to blink like confused owls and rubbed at their eyes.

Eclipse squeaked, Rowen being a little cheeky and pinching her bottom. Sirius, Remus, Regulus and James began to joke around with one another.

Lily simply shook her head, but James always got the last laugh and would kiss her freckled nose. Eden was more amused than ever and Sirius was by her side with his arm wrapped around her. His hands always found the dips and curves, always lingered by her side a second longer and then some and would kiss her speechless.

After the dozen takes of pictures, moving ones and still ones alike, they were able to finally chomp down on some food. Sirius and Eden couldn’t take their eyes off each other for the rest of the night.

❊❊❊❊

Sirius could stop himself from grinning as he had slipped his bare arms around Eden, who had wrapped herself in the same blanket as he did.

“I love you.”

He hugged her back closer to his bare chest and she snuggled closer into him.

“And I love you.”


	44. I Open at the Close

_we deserve a soft epilogue, my love_

1 September 1991

**A woman with dark freckles, pitch black hair and amber eyes lovingly looked down at her twin daughters, but she was talking to only one of them. “My darling little Eden…”**

**The woman picked up the small child,” You won’t remember this, but then again— I just know that you will inherit my gift in divination. Not the best thing I could give to you, eh?”**

**Ezra Blackthorne smiled down at baby Eden. Ezra was indeed beautiful, the only good that photographs of her did was tell the entire world of her existence. A beautiful and loving existence.**

**“I had a vision of the future, my dear Eden. Of you. Of what you will grow up to be, along with lovely Eclipse. Of how beautiful you two will be, and of who you will become and who you will meet in your lives.” Ezra gently laid a kiss upon Eden’s forehead.**

**“And I want you to know, that you will be the one who will face the worst of anything to come… I know that you will grow with the curse, and you will be forced to be the mature one. But don’t be think upon it. Just think about the ones who will be in your lives.” Ezra gently swayed to one side and to the other on her feet.**

**“I saw a flash of fiery red hair once… it was exquisite, and as red is going to be your favourite colour, you’ll find that fiery red hair in your life soon. I also have laid my second sight upon a group of four youngsters, loud and boisterous, reckless little misfits— you too will find that you adore them.” Ezra hummed softly as she gently replaced her darling child next to her twin.**

**Ezra laughed lightly,” However, as you find the one who you shall cherish above the rest, you will only find love once and only with the one.”**

**Then it had become dark, as Ezra’s loving smile slowly turned downwards into a frown, tears forming.**

**Tears began to spill from Ezra’s glowing amber orbs, her heart slightly cracking as she spoke her next words. “I have seen your future, and I have seen the choice you made, for them. For the love you held for them. And after that it is all smoke and mirrors, I do not see anything else. And this is the first time that divination has been held against me.”**

**She slowly raised herself from the crib,” I do not know what will become of you, for it will always have been your choice. Do not forget, my darling Eden, for the love you hold in your heart will be everlasting. You can conquer worlds, lay waste to anything in your path when your mind has been set. Because you are indeed powerful.”**

**“But what you do, has always been your own. Forgive me, for I will not be there for you, but do not ever think that what shall happen to me to be your fault… You know, a wise old wizard once told me many years ago…”**

**Ezra disappeared from the room, never to be seen again.**

**“Do not pity the dead, pity the living, pity those who live without love…”**

Eden Black blinked.

Platform 9 and ¾ was bustling as usual. Returning students knowing on how to have their luggage moved and going into the awaiting firetruck red steam train. First years were all nervous and trying to figure their ways around. Parents screaming and shouting as they hustle their children along the platform. It is a sound she has known almost her entire life, she had spent years in the exact same position of these new and old students, after all.

The train was going to leave, bursting out a shrieking ear-splitting whistle of smoke. Sirius Black slowly weaved his fingers through her own, she flicked her eyes up to see her husband’s face and the two shared a smile and a slow kiss.

After, she landed her eyes upon the window that had Harry Potter, Lilian and Lyla Withers on the other side, within the train. The young boy who had round glasses was waving ecstatically, he indeed grew with love. Then very suddenly, a boy with red hair and dirt on his face had appeared into the compartment along with a girl who had bushy hair and intelligent eyes— the two had taken seats on either side of Harry.

Eden had laughed at the sight. All of it, it was meant to be, after all…

Lilian and Lyla Withers, who was also in the compartment and very visible in sight, had the unnervingly similar appearances to their mother and their aunt. Lyla had grown with her mother’s wolfish eyes, her grandmother’s freckles and the dark hair she inherited from the Blackthorne bloodline.

However, it was Lilian with amber eyes, freckles and her father’s dark chocolate hair that had shared her mother’s wicked, chaos-bringing smile. A true, kind heart within.

Lyla was the twin who was reading her book with reading glasses, her wolfish eyes glowed with an underlying intelligence that no eleven year old should have.

Eclipse Withers, nee Blackthorne, laughingly waved her hands back at Harry and her darling daughters. Rowen Withers was sobbing, alongside James Potter, over their children going off to Hogwarts like the two older wizards had in their younger years.

Lily Potter, beautiful as ever with those emerald green eyes and her fiery red hair had been bundled up in a messy ponytail, shares a look of exasperation with Eden and Sirius.

The three shook their heads in mock disbelief before laughing.

❊❊❊❊

5 September 1991

“They don’t play Quidditch like they used to anymore…”

Sirius groaned aloud but instantly winced when his beautiful wife glared at him playfully.

Eden clucked her tongue,” If they did, I would have more patients to patch up.”

‘Slimy Slytherins’ and ‘weak gits’ was what Sirius would mutter under his breath as he stored his broomstick away with the rest of the other Quidditch players. He always would make sure that Eden was just close enough in hearing range.

“Sirius!” Eden scolded him, reprimanding with only her lovely timbre, eyes too bright with hidden laughter.

“Yes, Eden, my heart?” Sirius smiled up at her, his grey eyes shining with mischief.

As always, he couldn’t help himself.

James rounded around the corner, wrapping his arms around the blackette with a laughing smile on his face,” Don’t worry, we won’t allow them to be bludgeoned on our watch, Eden.”

James Potter didn’t age as much, as he had in the other lifetime, he was still quite handsome and he was always seen with his signature smirk on his face. He has laugh lines, small crinkles at the corners of his eyes as he would smile or smirk.

Those in the prankster business of this new age, James and Sirius was always caught helping them with new pranks. They couldn’t keep it to themselves. The Marauders had remained five, Rowen was in Peter’s place.

Though of course, Rowen wasn’t going to become a traitor. The Marauders still had their pranks going, but they usually left it to their younger counterparts.

She rolled her eyes, slipping James’ arm from her and began to make her way back to the hospital wing.

“Where are you going?” Sirius had actually thought that she became angry.

She turned her graceful neck, to look at the two mystified fools, and she smiled devilishly. “I have actual duties, Quidditch Professors. Get to yours.”

She had laughed at their speechless faces and turned around the corner to be greeted by Minerva McGonagall, who was beginning to gain grays and silvers in her hair, and some other students.

But as usual, Eden always loved to take the long way around within the hallways and corridors of Hogwarts. She had passed the Potions classroom, Regulus teaching the class and he also had gained the position of Head of Slytherin House— since Severus Snape was in Azkaban for his crimes.

Next was the Defense against the Dark Arts, and Eden had smiled at the sight. Currently her nieces and godson present in this class, they were watching Eclipse and Remus showing their demonstration of dueling. Eclipse stuck her tongue out at Remus when she had him launched backwards onto his backside, but that was before he had stood back up and would mercilessly do the same to her.

They would always end up laughing in the lessons.

When people had learned of Remus Lupin’s condition as a werewolf, the howlers had come but before any of them would sound off, Eden Black was always there to burst them into flames with nonverbal magic. But it only took one howler that would have Remus look resigned to the hate. Even though there have been many changes, allowing werewolves into the society of the wizarding world— there were people who had prejudice against their kind.

He kept his position because Eclipse adamantly announced that she too would resign from her position as the second DADA professor— Remus was the only reason she had taken the job, to be there when he would be experiencing his monthly pains.

Ever since then, Harry, who never had been raised to have such prejudices, anonymously had started the ‘complimentary’ howlers— after that, everyone had been giving Remus anonymous and good howlers. It had even gone to the point where Dumbledore needed to ban them for a while. Remus was overjoyed and remained where he _belonged_.

Eden ventured past the Astronomy tower, Rowen likely on the very top helping students with whatever they needed— he was always known to be so helpful and caring towards his students. When there were times that people became attracted to his handsome, nicely aged face, Eclipse took action and would go against the ‘display of affection’ rules.

Eden finally made her way back around. She would ease the pains and stomach aches that kept the young students in the hospital wing. She smiled whenever people would thank her and would leave her little pieces of sweets— everyone in Hogwarts knew of her love for those pieces of heaven.

But when she had time off, she was always watching others from a distance.

When there were times that Ron had felt insecure around Harry, Eden was there and would slip some sweets to the red head. But Hermione was another case, the two had become even greater friends than from another lifetime— Eden would always slip some books to recommend. When Hermione had begun to learn the situation of house Elves, Eden was there to give her advice and Hermione had begun her adventures in the Society of the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.

With their combined intelligence, S.P.E.W. was officially reborn. And it had grown successful, especially with Dumbledore’s approval.

Neville Longbottom had found a book on Herbology randomly placed on his bed in his dorm room. The quiet and shy boy had taken a liking to it— and as though he already had the experience, he enjoyed it overall and he was a first year still.

Draco Malfoy, with a little nudging by Eden herself, had actually come to befriend Harry and the others. And with a pointed gaze, Lucius did not say a thing about it. But on the other side, Narcissa had shared a secret smile with Eden.

With enough of convincing, the houses of Hogwarts no longer would eat within their tables— all houses would mingle during breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they had mixed quite well.

Lily works in The Three Broomsticks, with Rosmerta— Hogsmeade trips were always a blast when the Marauders, Lily and Eden would gather around.

There was still some things missing, that Eden needed to plan for the years to come. A certain pinkette coming back to Hogwarts and would find a particular werewolf, a Lovegood, a French veela descendant with a certain redhead working at Gringotts, a Weasley with a Potter and other things that cannot come to pass just _yet_ — but she would get there with time and very clever schemes.

Aside from all of this, back in the years when Harry and Lilian and Lyla were growing up— Harry always had a strangely smooth connection with his godmother, no one could explain it.

He had somehow managed to speak her name first, instead of what most babies would say ‘mama’ or ‘papa’, but instead Harry had said,” Edee.”

And when he would walk around the house, disappearing from his parents’ sights, they would find him sleeping by Eden on the couch.

Eden would only smile, but James always had a good guess, as he always seemed to be the closest to knowing about Eden’s mysterious ways. He, of course, would make a joke out of it. He never let Eden live it down.

“All Potters are attracted to the smart ones,” James always kissed Lily’s freckled nose and the two would bicker playfully as all the other times they had in the past.

But it was also made into a game between Sirius and Harry, on who could charm Eden the most. So far, Sirius was a little behind— much to his chagrin, but at the end of the day, Eden would be there to cheer him up.

Eden walked down the hall, Sirius with his arm around her waist protectively— when he no longer would be in Quidditch classes with James, he spent every breathing moment with her. Eden had become somewhat of a favourite, to all years and even to the _teenaged_ youths, she had attracted many.

Eden seemed to have a way of defying aging. But then again, she and Sirius hadn’t aged as much these years, they could almost pass as older seventh years.

Eden’s amber eyes, shining with life and intelligence alone, would have others afflicted with weak knees and bumping hearts. But usually it was the way she had carried herself and her devilish smile could rob people’s attentions to trail after her.

But on another hand, what would gain people’s curiosity was the single streak of deathly white in her abyssal black hair. Eclipse had shrieked at the sight of it, because it had appeared on the morning of Harry’s eleventh birthday and it wasn’t there the night before.

Eden had deducted that that was the proof of what she had lived through, much like a lightning scar that once had been on the forehead of another; from a lifetime that seemed long ago. A future that no longer existed because she had changed it and put it on another path.

It was the price for her having cheated Death, _twice_.

Sirius didn’t make much of a big deal out of it, because by the time day turns to night, Eden was just Eden. His Eden, just as much as he was her Sirius. And that was all he ever needed.

They didn’t have children. But in a way: Harry, Lilian and Lyla was all they really could wish for in their lives.

In the end, as all things come to a close, Eden and Sirius would hold each other’s hands and smile, to wait for what was to come next.

**Author's Note:**

> I have decided to move on from Quotev and come to the Archive after such a long time of being inactive in my writing. I have so many stories and characters and I haven't been giving anything to them. I'm starting now.
> 
> And the first action of business is by giving life back to my fanfiction story in the Harry Potter series. Meet Eden and Eclipse Blackthorne, my witch twins of the Harry Potter universe and I hope you love them as much as I do.


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